Landlord-tenant disputes are one of the most common complaints to the Maryland Attorney General’s Office. As a renter, you have certain rights, obligations and remedies available under Maryland law. There may also be local protections available or slightly different processes for resolving a landlord dispute.
Common landlord-tenant disputes
Tenants and landlords may disagree on:
- application fees
- leases
- rent
- security deposits
- the right to take possession
- lease renewals
- breaking a lease
- rent escrow
- failure to make repairs
- landlord retaliation
- lead-based paint hazards
- eviction
This Attorney General guide offers tips for avoiding and managing common disputes. It includes common scenarios and offers potential ways to handle the situation.
How to handle unsafe Housing And Rental Repairs
If you have a serious or dangerous defect in your apartment or rented building, tenants have certain rights because landlords have certain obligations under the law.
You may be able to:
- Use an escrow account if established by the District Court.
- Get an injunction.
Escrow account
If the District Court establishes an escrow account, you deposit rent money instead of paying the landlord rent each month. However, there are specific conditions and notice requirements for which you can use the escrow account.
While the court will decide if a situation warrants an escrow account, it’s typically used for serious and dangerous defects. This may include but is not limited:
- rodent infestation in two or more units
- lead-based paint hazard
- lack of adequate sewage disposal
- lack of heat, light, electricity or water if the landlord is responsible for keeping it on.
It does not cover lack of air conditioning, normal wear and tear or other non-dangerous housing code violations.
Injunction
An injunction may be another option. That is a petition to have the court order the landlord to repair or fix the concerning conditions.
For more information, including the detailed process for giving notice and filing with the court, review the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service fact sheet.
Getting Help
In general, put disputes in writing and take photographs whenever possible so you have a paper trail.
The People’s Law Library of Maryland also has several landlord/tenant guides and information on security deposits, evictions and failure to pay rent, utilities, and housing protections for domestic violence victims.
You can also talk with a lawyer about your civil legal matter at no cost through the Maryland Court Help Center. Call 410-260-1392 during business hours. You can find more information about this resource from The People’s Law Library of Maryland.
If you’re having a dispute, you may be able to get assistance from the Mediation Unit of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. They will help resolve disputes between a landlord and tenant. You can file a landlord/tenant complaint online or call the Maryland Attorney General.
The aforementioned is not legal advice, and you should consult an attorney for help regarding your specific landlord/tenant dispute.
