(a) No person shall demand or receive a security deposit from any tenant for a rental unit occupied by the tenant upon July 17, 1985, where no security deposit had been demanded or received of the tenant for the rental unit before July 17, 1985, but this provision shall not prevent the collection of security deposits for newly constructed units or units exempted under § 42-3502.05(a)(4) and (7). Security deposits shall be collected pursuant to the Security Deposit Act, effective February 20, 1976 (D.C. Law 1-48; 14 DCMR 308 et seq.).
(b) The Office of Administrative Hearings may adjudicate complaints for the non-return of tenant security deposits and for the nonpayment of interest on tenant security deposits pursuant to section 2908 of the Housing Regulations of the District of Columbia (14 DCMR §§ 308 through 311).
CREDIT(S)
(July 17, 1985, D.C. Law 6-10, § 217, 32 DCR 3089; Mar. 14, 2007, D.C. Law 16-276, § 3, 54 DCR 889; Mar. 25, 2009, D.C. Law 17-366, § 2(h), 56 DCR 1332; June 7, 2012, D.C. Law 19-140, § 2, 59 DCR 2879.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 45-2527.
Effect of Amendments
D.C. Law 16-276 designated existing text as subsec. (a) and inserted subsec. (b).
D.C. Law 17-366, in subsec. (b), inserted “and for the nonpayment of interest on tenant security deposits” following “tenant security deposits”.
D.C. Law 19-140, in subsec. (b), substituted “complaints for the non-return of” for “complaints for the nonpayment of interest on”.
Legislative History of Laws
For legislative history of D.C. Law 6-10, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 42-3501.01.
Law 16-276, the “Interest on Rental Security Deposits Amendment Act of 2006”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 16-785, which was referred to the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 5, 2006, and December 19, 2006, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on December 28, 2006, it was assigned Act No. 16-633 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 16-276 became effective on March 14, 2007.
Law 19-140, the “Tenant Security Deposits Clarification Amendment Act of 2012”, was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 19-190, which was referred to the Committee on Housing and Workforce Development. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on February 7, 2012, and March 6, 2012, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on April 9, 2012, it was assigned Act No. 19-343 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 19-140 became effective on June 7, 2012.
Miscellaneous Notes
Termination of Law 6-10: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 42-3502.01.
For Law 17-366, see notes following § 42-3401.03.