Anonymous wrote:can someone help me with the BBL license application- for some reason I'm stuck on getting self-certification upload to pass on the check list so I can proceed with the rest of the application.
Any help is greatly appreciated barbnsv@yahoo.com

Try putting your phone or computer into desktop mode -- that will probably fix it.

The inspection is a joke. I was in a rental who didn’t have a license at the time I moved in and the inspection was done over FaceTime with the property management representative and DC. I overhead the call and all the lady told them was to go to CVS and buy a fire extinguisher.

My qualms about all of this is that a resident should not be able to move into a property until an inspection and license is obtained.

Anonymous wrote:can someone help me with the BBL license application- for some reason I'm stuck on getting self-certification upload to pass on the check list so I can proceed with the rest of the application.
Any help is greatly appreciated barbnsv@yahoo.com

What exactly are you having an issue with? Call DCRA (or whatever their new name is) and they can walk you through the steps. They are actually helpful.

How do you file your DC 30 and FR 500 without the BBL?

can someone help me with the BBL license application- for some reason I'm stuck on getting self-certification upload to pass on the check list so I can proceed with the rest of the application.
Any help is greatly appreciated barbnsv@yahoo.com

do it. if you don't do it, you can't file for a rent control exemption. and that means your unit is rent controlled. if your tenant figures this out, you're in bad shape. so pay the fine, get the rent control exemption, and consider yourself lucky it hasn't been an issue yet.

This is what I love about D.C. - they really only ever go after people that are trying to comply with the law. The city is riddled with illegal rentals but someone wants to come into compliance and you smash them with a big fine. As FYI, I don't think DCRA and the tax division of the government communicate much. I am in compliance now but I was reporting rental income for years on an unregistered unit and there were no repercussions.

Anonymous wrote:I let mine expire and I don't recall having to pay a late fee. Maybe I said the units were vacant during the time my license was expired. The biggest pain is the reinspection. There is no consistency with inspectors and you're bound to get some BS issue you'll have to correct and reinspect, but it usually isn't too much money and is more just the hassle. If you have it currently rented without a license and a tenant reports you for something you are totally screwed.

How difficult was it to correct what the inspector found? Our apartment actually has a Certificate of Occupancy but I was afraid to go for the business license because I was afraid that DCRA would find something wildly expensive which I didn't have the money to fix at that time. Now I could afford to fix things but I've managed for 13 years without the business license and it feels very hard to take the initiative to get in compliance. Some time ago they had an amnesty program for a limited amount of time. I wish they would do that again so I could get it in compliance.

FWIW we do pay business taxes on it. Somehow the tax department found out that we were reporting the rental income on our personal taxes and they told us we had to file taxes on business income. I thought sure that would trigger a DCRA investigation into our lack of a business license but that has never happened.

Anonymous wrote:The late fee is $500, and if it's been expired more than two years, they will require a re-inspection. Two huge pains in the butt.

However, D.C. aggressively audits properties now, and those pains in the butt are very minor compared to the trouble you can get in once they find out. Also, if you ever have problems with tenants, you will have NO CASE with them if you don't have your license current.

D.C. will find you at some point. Bite the bullet and get your license. I just renewed mine last week, and it was a fairly painless process that took only a small portion of my morning. Plus, you'll feel a lot better being in compliance.

Where did you learn about this aggressive auditing? Any sources? Thanks.

I let mine expire and I don't recall having to pay a late fee. Maybe I said the units were vacant during the time my license was expired. The biggest pain is the reinspection. There is no consistency with inspectors and you're bound to get some BS issue you'll have to correct and reinspect, but it usually isn't too much money and is more just the hassle. If you have it currently rented without a license and a tenant reports you for something you are totally screwed.

The late fee is $500, and if it's been expired more than two years, they will require a re-inspection. Two huge pains in the butt.

However, D.C. aggressively audits properties now, and those pains in the butt are very minor compared to the trouble you can get in once they find out. Also, if you ever have problems with tenants, you will have NO CASE with them if you don't have your license current.

D.C. will find you at some point. Bite the bullet and get your license. I just renewed mine last week, and it was a fairly painless process that took only a small portion of my morning. Plus, you'll feel a lot better being in compliance.

Just a file. Likely they won't come after you. If they do the max time they can fine for is 3 years. If they do an amnesty before the 3 years are up confess those years during the amnesty.

FYI, I filed for 8 properties simultaneously 6-7 yeas ago some should have been registered for a decade. Nothing happened other than I got in compliance.

I wouldn't do anything.

It's been a few years since my rental unit's DC BBL expired (I know, I should have renewed, please spare the lectures), I want to come into compliance but I am worried about the fine. Has anyone dealt with DCRA on this issue? Any tips to share?