How to recover real and personal property that has been leased together?

Full question:

I’ve been advised to file an petition to remove my tenant. What I further want to know is can I also recover all my furniture and personal property that are in the leased house, in the same case?

• Category: Landlord Tenant
• Date: 04/07/2025
• State: District of Columbia

Answer:

Yes, when you evict your tenant, and the lease covered the house and the furnishings in it, the tenant has to leave the house and can't take your stuff with them. You can request the court in the petition you’ve filed for ejecting your tenant, to order the tenant to return all your furniture and other items.

D.C. Code § 42-3209 states:

“Whenever real and personal property are leased together, as, for example, a house with furniture contained therein, the landlord, either in an action of ejectment or in the summary proceeding for possession, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, may have a judgment for recovery of the personalty as well as the realty.”