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B26-0126 • 2025

Fair Housing Practices Amendment Act of 2025

Fair Housing Practices Amendment Act of 2025

Housing
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Allen
Last action
2026-07-03
Official status
Under Congressional Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states the act takes effect after Mayoral approval (or veto override) and a 30-day Congressional review, but does not provide a specific calendar date for enactment.

Fair Housing Practices Amendment Act of 2026

This law changes rental rules in Washington, D.C., to stop landlords from charging tenants for common area utilities and sets strict steps for collecting unpaid rent or damage fees.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires landlords to send written notice within 45 days after a tenant moves out if they claim the tenant owes money for unpaid rent, damages beyond normal wear, or removal of left-behind items.
  • Mandates that this notice must include photos or documents proving the debt and explain how the tenant can dispute the charge.
  • Gives tenants 30 days to challenge a claimed debt with evidence, requiring landlords to respond in writing within 10 days after receiving that information.
  • Prohibits landlords from sending unpaid amounts to a debt collector until at least 60 days have passed since they served the notice to the tenant.
  • Bans charging tenants separate fees for services required by law to keep a rental unit safe and habitable, such as trash removal or lock repairs.
  • Stops landlords from separately billing tenants starting January 1, 2027, for utility costs used in common spaces like lobbies or pools.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Housing providers (landlords) and property managers renting units in the District of Columbia.
  • Tenants living in rental accommodations within the District of Columbia.
  • Third-party companies hired by landlords to manage billing or collect debts.

Terms To Know

Common space
Areas used by everyone in a building, such as lobbies, leasing offices, business centers, pools, and fitness centers.
Ratio Utility Billing System (RUBS)
A method that uses math formulas to split the total utility bill among tenants based on factors like square footage or number of bedrooms.
Implied warranty of habitability
The legal requirement for landlords to keep rental units in a safe and livable condition, including providing basic services.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law does not stop landlords from using the Ratio Utility Billing System (RUBS) if they follow the rules set by this act.
  • Landlords may still withhold money from a security deposit to fix damage caused by tenants that goes beyond ordinary wear and tear.
  • The specific date when these new rules take effect depends on approval by the Mayor and a 30-day review period by Congress.

Bill History

  1. 2026-07-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0342 Published in DC Register Vol 73 and Page 009155

  2. 2026-07-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0342

  3. 2026-07-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Congress, Projected Law Date is Sep 04, 2026

  4. 2026-06-29 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  5. 2026-06-16 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Jul 01, 2026

  6. 2026-06-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2026-05-05 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  8. 2026-03-30 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Committee Mark-up of B26-0126 by the Housing Committee

  9. 2025-05-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Public Hearing on B26-0126 View Public Hearing Record

  10. 2025-05-09 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register

  11. 2025-05-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary by Housing

  12. 2025-02-21 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0126 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  13. 2025-02-18 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee on Housing

  14. 2025-02-13 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0126 Introduced by Councilmember Allen at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Fair Housing Practices Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-342
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
JULY 2, 2026
ToamendtheRentalHousingActof1985toprohibithousingprovidersfromseparately
chargingtenantsfortheutilitychargesaccruedbythehousingaccommodationforits
common spacesorvacantunits,torequirethathousingprovidersgivenotificationtoa
tenantofanyunpaidamountsowedtothehousingproviderwithin45daysaftervacating
arentalunitandtoobtainevidencethatthetenantwasservedwiththenotificationat
least60dayspriortosendingtheunpaidamounttoadebtcollector,andtoclarifythat
housingproviderscannotchargetenantsforservicesrequiredunder theimpliedwarranty
ofhabitability.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
actmay be citedas the“FairHousing PracticesAmendment Actof 2026”.
Sec.2.The RentalHousing Act of 1985,effectiveJuly17,1985 (D.C.Law 6-10;D.C.
OfficialCode § 42-3501.01 etseq.),isamended as follows:
(a)Section217 (D.C.OfficialCode § 42-3502.17)isamended by addinga new
subsection(e)toreadasfollows:
“(@)(1)Uponterminationofa tenancy,thehousingprovidershallrequestaforwarding
mailingaddressoremailaddressfromthetenantforpurposesofprovidinganynoticesrequired
pursuanttothissection.
“(2)(A)Within 45 days afterterminationof thetenancy,thehousingprovider
shallnotifythetenantinwriting,eitherpersonally,byemail,orbycertifiedmailatthetenant’s
forwardingaddress,ofanyallegedunpaidamountsduetothehousingproviderpursuanttothe
termsof theleaseagreement which may include:
“(i)Unpaidrentarrearages;
“(i)Damagetotherentalunitbeyondthestandardsofordinary
wearandtearasdefinedinsubsection(c)(3)ofthissection;or
“(iii)Chargestothehousingproviderforremovingfurnishingsand
itemsleftbythetenantatmoveout.
“(B)Thenotificationshallalsoinclude:
1

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(i)Photographsorotherdocumentationsupportingthehousing
provider'sclaimforallegedunpaidamounts;and
“Gi)A statementinformingthetenantofhis or herrighttodispute
theallegedunpaid amounts and contactinformationforthehousingprovider.
“(3)Tenantsshallhave 30 calendardays afterthedatethehousingprovider's
noticeisservedtodisputetheallegedunpaidamounts.A tenantmay providetothehousing
providerany evidencethattheallegedunpaidamount isinaccurateor incorrectlyattributedtothe
tenant.Thehousingprovidershallprovideawrittenresponse,whichmaybemail,electronic
mail,orinperson,tothetenantwithrespecttoany informationprovidedunderthissubsection
within10 days afterreceiptof theinformationfrom thetenant.
“(4)Thehousingprovidershallkeepdocumentationthatthetenantwasserved
withsuchnoticerequiredbythissubsectionforatleast60dayspriortosendingtheunpaid
amounttoadebtcollector,asdefinedinD.C.OfficialCode§28-3814(b)(5).”.
(b)TitleV isamendedasfollows:
(1)Section510(b-2)(D.C.OfficialCode § 42-3505.10(b-2))isamended toread
asfollows:
*(b-2)(1)(A)A housingprovidershalllnotchargeafee toaprospectivetenant
beforemove-in,duringatenancy,oraftermove-outforservicesrequiredofthehousingprovider
tomaintaina housing accommodation orrentalunitina conditionconsistentwith theimplied
warrantyofhabitabilityand with Titles12 and 14ofthe Districtof Columbia Municipal
Regulations,orsubstantiallysimilarsubsequentregulations,includinganyfeechargedtotenants
forservicesor facilitiesrelatedtoutilities,trash,locks,administrativefeesforthird-partybilling,
or otherservicesor facilitiesrequiredtobe provided.
*(B)Notwithstandingsub-paragraph(A)ofthisparagraph,nothinginthis,
subsectionshallprohibitahousingproviderfromwithholdingatenant’ssecuritydepositto
replacedamaged itemsifthe tenanthas causeddamage totheunitbeyond thestandardof
ordinarywearandtearasdefinedinsection217(c)(3).”.
(2)A new section511 isadded to readas follows:
“Sec 511.Prohibitionon separatelybillinga housingaccommodation’s utilitychargesto
tenants.
“(a)BeginningonJanuary1,2027,ahousingprovider,oranythirdpartycontractedby
thehousingprovider,shallnotseparatelychargetenants,otherthanthroughmonthlyrent,forthe
utilitychargesaccruedbythehousingaccommodationforitscommonspacesorvacantunits.
“(b)NothinginthissectionshallpreventahousingproviderfromusingaRatioUtility
BillingSystem toallocatemaster-meteredutilitychargestotenants,subjectto thelimitationsof
thissection.
"(c)Forthepurposesofthissection,theterm:
“(1)“Commonspace”meansallportionsofthepremisesusedincommonbythe
‘occupantsofa buildingorstructurenotundertheexclusivecontrolofasingletenant,including:
“(A)Lobbies;

ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
“(B)Leasingoffices;“(C)Businesscenters;“(D)Pools;and“()Fitnesscenters.“(2)“RatioUtilityBillingSystem”meansaprogramthatutilizesamathematicalformulaforallocating,amongthetenantsandpropertyownershipinaresidentialbuilding,theirshareoftheactualoranticipatedwater,sewer,electrical,oil,ornaturalgaschargesbilledtothehousingproviderfroma directorthird-partyproviderofanysuchutilityservice.Permittedallocationmethodsmayincludeformulasbasedonsquarefootage,occupancy,ornumberofbedrooms.
“@)“Utility”means:“(A)Electricityusage;“(B)Gasusage;“(C)Wastewaterandsewagedisposalserviceusage;“(D)Waterconsumptionorusage;or
“(E)Intemetortelephoneusage.”.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975.approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.
ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsection602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-206.02(c)(1)).
LeiMme —Chairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
UNSIGNED
Mayor
Bistista6Colbie

COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

DocketNo.826.0126

[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XJacTION FirstReading
(XIVOTEDATE May5,2026
[X1VOICEVOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[]ROLLCALLVOTE~Resuit

CouncilMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec
ChainmanMende!son]x Frumin x Pinto
‘Alien x Henderson|X R.White
Bonds x LewisGeorge| x T.White
Crawiord x Nadeau x
Felder x Parker x
X-IndicateVoto ‘AB~Absent NV.-Present,NotVoting
CERTIFICATIONRECORD

‘SecretarytotheCounc

DocketNo.B2é

26
[JITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
UXTACTION FinalReading
[X]VOTEDATE June2,2026
[LX]VOICE VOTE Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT

[JROLLCALLVOTE-Result

CouncilMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec[GounciMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelsor]X Frumin x Pinto x
‘Allen x Henderson| x R.White
Bonds. x LewisGeorge| x T.White x
Crawford x Nadeau x
Felder x Parker x
X-IndicateVoto AB~Absent NV-Prosont,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
jorelarytotheCouncih Date