14 DCMR § 14-315
NOTIFICATION REQUIRED
Operative Text
315.1 Prior to the acceptance of a nonrefundable application fee or security deposit, the owner of the habitation shall provide written notice of any requests that are pending for an adjustment in the rent ceiling of the habitation, as the adjustments are specifically enumerated in section 207 of the Rental Housing Act of 1985, D.C. Law 6-10, D.C. Official Code § 42-3502.07 (2001). 315.2 The notification shall include the current rent ceiling, the new rent ceiling requested in the petition, the petition filing date and petition number, and the nature of any repairs or rehabilitation planned in the dwelling unit as part of the petition. 315.3 A violation of this section shall be a Class 2 civil infraction pursuant to Titles I- III of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Infractions Act of 1985. Adjudication of any infraction of this article shall be pursuant to titles I-III of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Civil Infractions Act of 1985.
Under D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-315, a housing owner must give prospective tenants written notice of any pending rent-ceiling adjustment petitions before collecting an application fee or security deposit. That written notice must spell out the current rent ceiling, the amount being sought in the petition, the petition's filing date and number, and any planned repairs or rehabilitation tied to the petition. Failure to provide this disclosure is classified as a Class 2 civil infraction under D.C.'s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Civil Infractions Act of 1985.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliant operators subject to D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-315 prepare a written disclosure document before accepting any application fee or security deposit from a prospective tenant. That document typically identifies the current rent ceiling, the rent ceiling amount requested in any pending petition, the petition number and filing date, and a description of any planned repairs or rehabilitation associated with the petition. Operators generally maintain records showing that the disclosure was delivered prior to fee or deposit collection, since a violation is treated as a Class 2 civil infraction.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 et seq. § 14-315 gives prospective tenants the right to receive written notice of any pending rent-ceiling adjustment petitions before a landlord may collect an application fee or security deposit. If that disclosure was not provided, or was incomplete—missing items such as the petition number, filing date, or planned rehabilitation details—a violation of this section may have occurred. Tenants who believe this rule was not followed can explore options such as raising the violation in a housing proceeding, filing a complaint with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, or contacting a local tenant-rights organization for general information.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation