My Commercial Tenant Stopped Paying Rent. What Are My Actual Options in DC?
DC prohibits self-help eviction for commercial tenants, same as for residential ones. That means a landlord cannot change the locks, shut off utilities, remove the tenant's property, or otherwise force them out without going through DC Superior Court and having the U.S. Marshals Service execute the eviction. A landlord who does this on their own — even with months of unpaid rent as justification — can end up owing the tenant damages, on top of still not having lawfully recovered the space.