(a) Process Required; Purpose.—The Secretary concerned shall implement a standardized formal dispute resolution process to ensure the prompt and fair resolution of disputes that arise between landlords providing housing units and tenants residing in housing units concerning maintenance and repairs, damage claims, rental payments, move-out charges, and such other issues relating to housing units as the Secretary determines appropriate.

(b) Process Elements.—(1) The dispute resolution process shall include the process by which a tenant may request that certain payments otherwise authorized to be paid to a landlord are withheld, as provided in subsection (e).

(2) The process shall designate the installation or regional commander in charge of oversight of housing units as the deciding authority under the dispute resolution process.

(3) The Secretary concerned shall establish a standardized mechanism and forms by which a tenant of a housing unit may submit, through online or other means, a request for resolution of a landlord-tenant dispute through the dispute resolution process.

(4) The Secretary shall ensure that, in preparing a request described in paragraph (3), a tenant has access to advice and assistance from a military housing advocate employed by the military department concerned or a military legal assistance attorney under section 1044 of this title.

(5) The Secretary concerned shall minimize costs to tenants for participation in the dispute resolution process.

(c) Resolution Process.—(1) Not later than 24 hours after receiving a request from a tenant for resolution of a landlord-tenant dispute through the dispute resolution process, the Secretary concerned shall—

(A) notify the tenant that the request has been received;

(B) transmit a copy of the request to the installation or regional commander (as the case may be), housing management office responsible for the housing unit, and the landlord of the housing unit; and

(C) if the request includes a request to withhold payments under subsection (e), initiate the process under such subsection.

(2) For purposes of conducting an assessment necessary to render a decision under the dispute resolution process, both the landlord and representatives of the installation housing management office may access the housing unit at a time and for a duration mutually agreed upon amongst the parties.

(3) Not later than seven days after the date on which the request was received by the installation housing management office shall ¹ complete an investigation that includes a physical inspection and transmit the results of the investigation to the installation or regional commander (as the case may be).

(4) Before making any decision with respect to a dispute under the dispute resolution process, the commander shall certify that the commander has solicited recommendations or information relating to the dispute from the following persons:

(A) The chief of the installation housing management office.

(B) A representative of the landlord for the housing unit.

(C) The tenant submitting the request for dispute resolution.

(D) A qualified judge advocate or civilian attorney who is a Federal employee.

(E) If the dispute involves maintenance or another facilities-related matter, a civil engineer.

(5)

(A) The commander shall make a decision with respect to a request under the dispute resolution process not later than 30 days after the request was submitted.

(B) The commander may take longer than such 30-day period in limited circumstances as determined by the Secretary of Defense, but in no case shall such a decision be made more than 60 days after the request was submitted.

(6) A final decision will be transmitted to the tenant and landlord no later than 30 days from initial receipt by the office of the commander, except as provided in paragraph (5)(B).

(7) The decision shall include instructions for distribution of any funds that were withheld under subsection (e) and such instructions for the landlord for further remediation as the commander considers necessary.

(8) The decision by the commander under this subsection shall be final.

(d) Effect of Failure to Comply With Decision.—If the landlord responsible for the housing unit does not remediate the issues in a manner consistent with the instructions contained in the decision rendered under subsection (c) and within a reasonable period of time, as provided in the decision, any amounts payable to the landlord for the housing unit shall be reduced by 10 percent for each period of five days during which the issues remain unremediated.

(e) Request to Withhold Payments During Resolution Process.—(1) As part of the submission of a request for resolution of a landlord-tenant dispute through the dispute resolution process, the tenant may request that all or part of the payments described in paragraph (2) for lease of the housing unit be withheld from the landlord of the housing unit during the period in which—

(A) the landlord has not met maintenance guidelines and procedures established by the Department of Defense, either through contract or otherwise; or

(B) the housing unit is uninhabitable according to State and local law for the jurisdiction in which the housing unit is located.

(2) Paragraph (1) applies to the following:

(A) Any basic allowance for housing payable to the tenant (including for any dependents of the tenant in the tenant's household) under section 403 of title 37.

(B) All or part of any pay of a tenant subject to allotment as described in section 2882(c) of this title.

(3) Upon the submission of a request by a tenant under this subsection and under such procedures as the Secretary of Defense shall establish, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service or such other appropriate office of the Department of Defense as the Secretary shall specify for purposes of such procedures, shall tentatively grant the request and hold any amounts withheld in escrow with notice to the landlord until the conclusion of the dispute resolution process.

(f) Disclosure of Rights.—(1) Each housing management office of the Department of Defense shall disclose in writing to each new tenant of a housing unit, upon the signing of the lease for the housing unit, the tenant's rights under this section and the procedures under this section for submitting a request for resolution of a landlord-tenant dispute through the dispute resolution process, including the ability to submit a request to withhold payments during the resolution process.

(2) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that each lease entered into with a tenant for a housing unit clearly expresses, in a separate addendum, the dispute resolution procedures.

(g) Rule of Construction on Use of Other Adjudicative Bodies.—Nothing in this section or any other provision of law shall be construed to prohibit a tenant of a housing unit from pursuing a claim against a landlord in any adjudicative body with jurisdiction over the housing unit or the claim.