The landlord-tenant laws in the State of Maryland set forth the rights and responsibilities of landlords who have rental properties within the state. The statutes also explain the rights and responsibilities of tenants who reside in rental properties that are located in Maryland.
Landlords and tenants often seek the guidance of an experienced lawyer to help with landlord-tenant issues, such as to make sure that they understand and abide by the landlord-tenant laws or to help them settle a dispute that arises during a tenancy.
Maryland Landlord-Tenant Law Statutes
Some landlord-tenant disagreements begin soon after the signing of the lease, while others occur years into the tenancy. One way to avoid disputes, whether you are a tenant or a landlord, is to understand and abide by the terms of the oral or written rental agreement and the Maryland landlord-tenant statutes. The tenant or the landlord may find that they need the help of an attorney with experience in landlord-tenant law at some time during the landlord-tenant relationship.
Tenants sometimes have questions about whether their landlord is permitted to charge an application fee or to charge a security deposit. Maryland §8–203(b)(1) provides that a landlord is permitted to charge a security deposit, but that the amount cannot be “in excess of the equivalent of two months’ rent per dwelling unit,” regardless of the number of tenants that rent the property.
Landlords are not permitted to retain the tenant’s security deposit for normal wear and tear when a tenant vacates the premises. There are other issues that may lead landlords or tenants to seek the services of a skilled Maryland landlord-tenant attorney to help protect their rights. Some examples include issues related to property repairs, failure to pay rent or the violation of other terms of a lease or the law.
How Can a Landlord-Tenant Lawyer Help Landlords in Frederick, Maryland?
Every landlord wants the ideal tenant who takes care of the property, abides by the terms of the lease, and who pays the rent on time. Landlords may need the help of an attorney with expertise in landlord-tenant law when disputes arise when a tenant fails to abide by the lease or Maryland statutes.
Some ways that a landlord-tenant attorney can help landlords include:
- Answering questions and providing guidance that helps landlords comply with their responsibilities under landlord-tenant statutes
- Creating thorough and customized leases that protect the interests of the landlord
- Offering the assistance of knowledgeable and experienced counsel for legal disputes or lawsuits
- Assisting landlords in eviction cases or lease violation cases to protect the interests of the landlord
- Providing guidance for landlords when temporary or permanent changes or updates occur in the Maryland landlord-tenant laws
Landlords need to understand that they cannot move a tenant’s belongings to the curb or change the door locks when a tenant does not pay their rent. Landlords also cannot take retaliatory action against a tenant who exercises their rights under the Maryland landlord-tenant statutes.
If you are a landlord who needs an experienced attorney to help protect your rights, who can provide advice on the procedures to evict a tenant, or to represent you in a landlord-tenant case, trust in the expertise of attorneys who can represent you at every step of the way.
How Can a Landlord-Tenant Attorney Help Tenants in Frederick, Maryland?
Tenants that rent a property in good faith hope to have a safe, sanitary home to enjoy and to have a landlord that complies with the landlord-tenant laws of Maryland. Most landlords and tenants have a good relationship with no disputes. There are some tenants who feel that they need a knowledgeable landlord-tenant lawyer to help them when the landlord does not follow the requirements set forth in the statutes.
Five ways that an experienced landlord-tenant lawyer can help tenants include:
- Reviewing the lease agreement and other forms to make sure that the terms are legal
- Helping tenants in a dispute when the landlord fails to do property repairs as required by law
- Representing tenants in an eviction case or other litigation
- Representing tenants who face retaliatory actions from their landlord after the tenant exercised their legal rights
- Explaining updates or changes made to landlord-tenant law and protecting tenant rights under such changes
Tenants are not permitted to withhold rent payments when a landlord does not make repairs or fails to provide other required upkeep of the property. The Office of the Maryland Attorney General explains that a landlord can evict a tenant for withholding their rent payments.
Contacting a landlord-tenant attorney is an ideal way to legally exercise your rights when your landlord fails to make repairs to the property. The attorney can help you follow the proper legal procedures, and can represent you in any litigation.
Landlords sometimes take retaliatory action against tenants who take action against a landlord who does not abide by their responsibilities or who fails to comply with landlord-tenant statutes. Trust an experienced lawyer who can help you through this trying time and stop the landlord from taking retaliatory actions that are prohibited by law.
Occasional updates to landlord-tenant laws, even when they are temporary, such as in an emergency situation, may seem confusing to both landlords and tenants. Contact an attorney who can help explain the landlord-tenant law or amendments made to the Maryland Real Property Code, and who can assist you with other landlord-tenant issues.
