For many years tenants and landlords have complained that the DC eviction process is not fair. Landlords complain that the process is slow and inefficient, because, it takes too long to regain ownership of the rental unit after an eviction order. Tenants have criticized the process as inhumane and resulting in destruction, damage and theft of personal belongings.
After many years of carrying out evictions in the same way, the U.S. Marshals have made noteworthy changes with the new eviction law. The changes may be the USMS’ response to recent high profile ruins, such as the eviction of a tax company which resulted in dumping boxes of personal information into the public street. Regardless of the reason, the changes are coming.
Presently, for landlords, the actual recovery of possession of an apartment comes at the end of an expensive and arduous eviction case and most times the tenant has not paid rent.
Tenants Do Their Part to Disturb the Process
Maybe tenants do everything in their power to stop an eviction from going forward. They filed motions to delay the eviction, almost every time which, costs the landlord or Washington DC property managers additional time and money.
Some tenants also resort to dishonest means to disrupt the eviction process. There are some cases where the tenant ducked two eviction dates by scraping the unit number off the door. When the Marshals showed up, they refused to let the eviction proceed because the unit was not appropriately numbered. Some landlord eventually burned the number into the metal frame of the door.
But, every time the tenant stops the eviction with an ice scraper or a meritless motion, there are weeks of additional delay which means another month of rent is gone.
The Landlord Gets Little Notice of the Eviction Date under the Current Law
The way the Marshals give notice of the eviction date puts the landlord in a real-time crisis. A few days in advance of the eviction, the USMS calls and provides the landlord with the date the eviction will be carried out. At that point, the landlord has to hire many people to carry out the eviction, schedule a locksmith to be onsite on the appointed day.
If the landlord misses the call and he is not available on the assigned date or is up against a crafty tenant, it could take weeks to get a new eviction date.
If you have been in town for long, you would have noticed the piles. Periodically, while on your way to work you have seen heaps of broken furniture, beds, trash bags and old couches strewn along the curb. You should know that each pile signifies an evicted tenant.
If you have a question about how the new eviction law changes affect you, we would be glad to discuss your situation with you. Simply give us a call or shoot us an email and we would be happy to set up a time property management service with you.
202-746-4000
Conrad Bennett
