RENTERS: No license, no rent

[Anonymous]

Dear Renters
There’s a Landord bragging about renting out their unlicensed basement for over a decade here on DCUM.

You shouldn’t rent unlicensed properties. They are not safe.

But if you do, you don’t owe them rent and they can’t evict you.
Yes, you heard that right.

You can look up online if your landlord has a valid unexpired rental license.

Spread the word.

Best wishes,
A Conscientious Landlord

[Anonymous]

Actually, being unlicensed does not necessarily mean they're unsafe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Actually, being unlicensed does not necessarily mean they're unsafe.

so than why not get licensed?

[Anonymous]

There really should be an easier way to report illegal apartments. Legitimate landlords with safe products pay their fees, taxes, and high renovation costs to maintain legal units. Why should these illegal units push the value of legal units down?

[Anonymous]

In DC, children have died in fire in unlicensed rentals. The only word you have that you are safe is your self-interested landlord who is already committed to breaking the law.

Do it only if you want. But why pay them rent?

[Anonymous]

I mean, live there if you really want, just don’t pay your rent. They can’t do a thing

[Anonymous]

Verify if your landlord is licensed to rent property in D.C.’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs’ SCOUT database.

Create an account with DCRA and search the property address, name of your landlord, the name of your landlord’s LLC, or a property’s management company within the agency’s SCOUT database.

Once you’ve located the property you’re interested in renting, click on the “Licenses” tab. Under Business Licenses, check if the property has an “apartment” or “residential” license and if it is active.

[Anonymous]

More here:
https://dcist.com/story/21/04/06/how-to-run-a-background-check-on-your-landlord-in-dc/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There really should be an easier way to report illegal apartments. Legitimate landlords with safe products pay their fees, taxes, and high renovation costs to maintain legal units. Why should these illegal units push the value of legal units down?

There's a very easy way to report illegal apartments: DCRA. Not sure what you're talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There really should be an easier way to report illegal apartments. Legitimate landlords with safe products pay their fees, taxes, and high renovation costs to maintain legal units. Why should these illegal units push the value of legal units down?

Nice try, bruh. It’s not about my legal rental. It’s about just how deeply immoral, dangerous and exploitative unlicensed rentals are — recently, a 9-year old died, people lost everything to mold and flood, vermin (not just the illegal landlord)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, being unlicensed does not necessarily mean they're unsafe.

so than why not get licensed?

This!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dear Renters
There’s a Landord bragging about renting out their unlicensed basement for over a decade here on DCUM.

You shouldn’t rent unlicensed properties. They are not safe.

But if you do, you don’t owe them rent and they can’t evict you.
Yes, you heard that right.

You can look up online if your landlord has a valid unexpired rental license.

Spread the word.

Best wishes,
A Conscientious Landlord

You are incorrect on all counts. But I'm sure you know that!

[Anonymous]

Let’s go down to the court and see buddy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There really should be an easier way to report illegal apartments. Legitimate landlords with safe products pay their fees, taxes, and high renovation costs to maintain legal units. Why should these illegal units push the value of legal units down?

There's a very easy way to report illegal apartments: DCRA. Not sure what you're talking about.

Do they do anything? I know of several.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dear Renters
There’s a Landord bragging about renting out their unlicensed basement for over a decade here on DCUM.

You shouldn’t rent unlicensed properties. They are not safe.

But if you do, you don’t owe them rent and they can’t evict you.
Yes, you heard that right.

You can look up online if your landlord has a valid unexpired rental license.

Spread the word.

Best wishes,
A Conscientious Landlord

You are incorrect on all counts. But I'm sure you know that!

Not OP, but what was incorrect?

Without a license you literally cannot evict in DC.