( DC) Tenant help

Hi everyone,

I moved into my apartment in Northwest DC about a month ago, and I’m honestly at my breaking point. Every day it feels like there’s a new problem, and I’m wondering if anyone has advice on getting out of a lease or navigating DC tenant rights.

Here’s what’s been going on:

-There are holes/gaps in the downstairs area near the front entrance and bathroom, and despite both my own efforts and maintenance visits to seal them, bugs keep getting in. I’ve dealt with cockroaches, beetles, millipedes, and now an ongoing ant infestation EVERYWHERE. I’m so good about food out and I don’t know what to do
- The AC unit had black mold because it apparently hadn’t been serviced in over four years. HVAC came out and said they cleaned it, but the unit is still constantly blowing little black flakes into the apartment.
- There are plumbing issues, including my toilet randomly gurgling and struggling to flush.
- The ant problem has become unbearable. I’ve tried Raid, Ortho Home Defense, Terro bait, diatomaceous earth, and other products. Nothing has worked. This morning I was late for work because I was on my hands and knees scraping ants out of my living room rug. I just found an ant infestation my hair is I am typing this
- A few nights ago, the fire alarm randomly went off in the middle of the night because the detector itself was expired.

To be fair, the landlord has generally been responsive when I report issues. The property is owned by an individual landlord, but Bungalow manages the leasing and maintenance coordination.

The problem is that even though some people keep coming out to fix things, the issues never seem to end. Every morning I wake up wondering what the next problem will be, and it’s genuinely affecting my mental health and my ability to function normally.

I’m also worried about my cat, who’s been breathing whatever is coming out of the AC and living around all of these bug treatments.

I’ve lived in so many different apartments and can deal with ants and other issues, but this is nonstop. It never ends. And at this point, I just want out of my lease.

Does anyone have experience breaking a lease in DC under circumstances like this? Are there free tenant advocacy organizations or legal services that you would recommend?

I work at a law firm, but I’m not eager to immediately hire an attorney, but I’d appreciate any advice on whether this sounds like something I should pursue under DC’s tenant protection laws.

Thank you everyone I’m just at my wits end I don’t know what to do