Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in District of Columbia

Re: Landlord overcharging

If your lease became month to month, you were required to give your landlord the notice required under the terms of the month to month

lease(usually at least 30 days in advance and no later that the first of the month if you want to vacate at the end of that particular month).

If for example you gave the notice on the 15th of the month you would not be able to move until the end of the following month(some 45 days) without owing rent for all of that month.

If you move out still owing for a particular rental period, the landlord is required to use reasonable efforts to mitigate(lessen) his damages by rerenting the unit to someone else.

However, if the landlord's reasonable efforts fail to produce an acceptable tenant to replace you, he can then charge you for the entire amount for the period for which you are legally obligated.