The District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Chapter 14-3 Section 304, 304.1-304.5 prohibits a landlord from using the following waivers in a lease agreement:
Prohibited Waiver Clauses in Lease Agreements
Any provision of any lease or agreement contrary to, or providing for a waiver of, the terms of this chapter, or § 101 or § 106 of chapter 1, shall be void and unenforceable.
No person shall cause any of the provisions prohibited by this section to be included in a lease or agreement respecting the use of the property in the District of Columbia, or demand that any person sign a lease or agreement containing any such provision.
No owner shall cause to be placed in a lease or rental agreement any provision exempting the owner or premises from liability or limiting the liability of the owner or the residential premises from damages for injuries to persons or property caused by or resulting from the negligence of the owner (or the owner’s agents, servants, or employees) in the operation, care, or maintenance of the leased premises, or any facility upon or portion of the property of which the leased premises are a part.
No owner shall place (or cause to be placed) in a lease or rental agreement a provision waiving the right of a tenant of residential premises to a jury trial, or requiring that the tenant pay the owner’s court costs or legal fees, or authorizing a person other than the tenant to confess judgment against a tenant. This subsection shall not preclude a court from assessing court or legal fees against a tenant in appropriate circumstances.
The provisions of this section shall not be subject to any notice requirement of this subtitle.
DCMR § 14–304, 304.1-304.5.
See also DC Landlord Must Give Tenant Copies of Signed Documents.