§ 34-2303. Opportunity for a tenant to receive service in own name; payment made by tenant.

Current through October 23, 2012

(a) If an owner of rental property or his or her agent is billed directly by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority ("Authority") for water and sanitary sewer services provided to the rental property, and the owner or his or her agent fails to pay a delinquent account for the services, each tenant who resides in the affected property may receive water and sanitary sewer services in his or her own name without liability for the charges accrued while the services were billed directly to the owner of the rental property. A tenant shall receive water and sanitary sewer services in his or her own name only if it is deemed practicable by the Mayor in accordance with rules issued pursuant to § 34-2306.

(b) Any payment made by a tenant of rental property pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be deemed in lieu of an equal amount of rent and shall be deducted from any rent due and owing or to become due and owing to the owner, agent, lessor, or manager of the rental property.

(c) Nothing in this section shall prevent the Mayor from pursuing any other appropriate action or remedy at law or equity against an owner, agent, lessor, manager, or tenant of a rental property.

                
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(May 18, 1954, ch. 218, title XVIII, § 1803, as added June 13, 1990, D.C. Law 8-136, § 2(g), 37 DCR 2620; Oct. 21, 2000, D.C. Law 13-183, § 3(a), 47 DCR 7062.)

HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES

Prior Codifications

1981 Ed., § 43-1653.

Effect of Amendments

D.C. Law 13-183 substituted in subsec. (a) "the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority ('Authority')" for "Department of Public Works ('Department')".

Legislative History of Laws

For legislative history of D.C. Law 8-136, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 34-2301.

Law 13-183, the "Water and Sewer Authority Collection Enhancement Amendment Act of 2000," was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 13-484, which was referred to the Committee on Public Works and the Environment. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on June 26, 2000, and July 11, 2000, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on August 2, 2000, it was assigned Act No. 13-399 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 13- 183 became effective on October 21, 2000.