District of Columbia Lockouts and utility shutoffs

Can a landlord change the locks or shut off utilities in District of Columbia?

A tenant who keeps paying the rent owed may be evicted only on the grounds the law allows, and at the time of an eviction the landlord must change the locks in the presence of the U.S. Marshals. A housing provider may not remove an evicted tenant's belongings except under the statute's storage rules. The D.C. Court of Appeals has held self-help eviction unlawful (Mendes v. Johnson, 1978); that point comes from case law, not the Code.

Verified Source: D.C. Code § 42-3505.01a(a), (c)(1); § 42-3505.01(a) · last checked 2026-10-23