As it was one of the first D.C. departments to embrace the advantages of Web 2.0, it's no surprise that the District Department of Consumer Regulatory Affairs has come up with another tool to help District residents learn about their surroundings. It's PIVS, or the Property Information Verification System, and it can tell you anything from whether a landlord has the right license to rent to what a property is zoned for.
Where can this come in handy for Georgetown and Burleith residents? Well, now residents who wonder whether the landlord of the unkempt student rental next door is properly licensed to rent his slovenly property, you can check.
Even though the DCRA has told The Hoya that most local properties abide by rental codes, in January, the agency sent notices to over 120 landlords it believed were renting to students in D.C. illegally. One student told The Hoya that his home received several foreclosure notices in the mail.
Could that be the case with the house next door to you? Let us know in the comments if this tool sounds an alarm for you!
2 Comments For This Article
oh man I have just discovered I am living in an illegal apartment. Holding this information very closely....
I have recently discovered that my english basement is not legal although I do have a separate elec. meter but it is in the landlords name. Is this something he is doing to avoid paying the proper taxes because if it is he needs to pay his fair share.
I have no doubt the dwelling is safe and should pass the inspection proccess but I hate the fact that I pay on time and to think this guy is getting out of paying his share irks me. I have been here for many years and it has been illegal the whole time!