The Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City (BLLC) is responsible for limiting and/or restricting the number of establishments permitted to sell alcohol in Baltimore City. The BLLC is responsible for processing applications for and transfers/renewals of licenses to sell beer, wine and liquor; conducting period inspections of licensed…
What if I purchase a home “as-is” and later discover latent defects that are significant and expensive to repair? Buyers can submit to mediation through Maryland REALTORS® to recover damages associated with latent defects not disclosed at the time of sale. In the State of Maryland, the standard Residential…
Senate Bill 19 requires the District Court to shield all court records relating to the filing of a Failure to Pay Rent Complaint within sixty (60) days after the final resolution of the nonpayment of rent case if the case did not result in a judgment for possession. Further, upon…
What is the Tenant Safety Act of 2024? Pursuant to House Bill 1117, effective October 1, 2024, the statute commonly known as the “rent escrow statute” will be amended to: Allow multiple tenants to join as plaintiffs in a Petition in Action of Rent Escrow (commonly known as a rent…
What is constructive eviction? An actual eviction occurs when a commercial landlord brings legal action seeking possession of leased premises from a commercial tenant, is awarded possession in Court, schedules an eviction of the tenant with the sheriff’s office, and the eviction is carried out by the sheriff. A constructive…
What is the Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024? House Bill 693 made several substantial changes to existing Maryland landlord-tenant law: Nonpayment of Rent Complaints The cost for a landlord to file a Failure to Pay Rent Complaint has increased from $8 to $43 per case (plus an additional…
When are emotional support and/or service animals allowed in rental housing in Maryland? Under Maryland law, landlords are required to allow tenants with disabilities to keep emotional support and/or service dog in the rental unit, with very limited exceptions. Landlords may be able to inquire and request that documentation be…
Silverman Thompson recently represented a contractor who was hired to renovate a large residential property in Baltimore County. The plaintiff, a subcontractor, filed a lawsuit against the client’s company and the client, individually, alleging that the company and the client individually breached a contract and that our client violated the…
How can you register a rental property in Baltimore City? Effective January 1, 2019, all non-owner-occupied dwelling units, regardless of whether it is a single-family or multi-family dwelling, must be licensed and registered in Baltimore City. What are the steps to receive a rental license from the Department of Housing…
How do you remove a squatter in Maryland? When an empty residential unit or vacant buildings become occupied by a person other than an authorized tenant, they are often referred to as a squatter. Squatter law in Maryland does not allow you to remove the unauthorized person without utilizing the…
New Maryland Landlord-Tenant Law Effective October 1, 2023 Rental License Needed for ALL Eviction Cases Pursuant to Senate Bill 100, effective October 1, 2023, if a county or municipality requires a rental license, a landlord MUST have a rental license to file any of the following actions: • Failure to…
New Maryland Landlord-Tenant Law Effective October 1, 2023 Notice Requirements for Rent Increases Pursuant to House Bill 151, effective October 1, 2023, a landlord must notify a tenant in writing before increasing the tenant’s rent as follows: (1) or tenancies for a term of more than one month, at least…
Calling Law Enforcement or Emergency Services No Longer Grounds for Termination Pursuant to Senate Bill 214, which takes effect on October 1, 2023, Section 8-208 of the Real Property Article which governs prohibited lease provisions has been amended to prohibit a form of lease that limits the ability of a…
Pet Protections During Evictions Pursuant to House Bill 102, effective June 1, 2023, a landlord and law enforcement carrying out an eviction have the following obligations with regard to any action for possession of real property (nonpayment of rent, tenant holding over, breach of lease, or wrongful detainer): (1) Upon…
What do I need to do to file a Failure to Pay Rent Case in Baltimore City? Baltimore City landlords must comply with registration, inspection, and licensing requirements before initiating Nonpayment of Rent actions in rent court. Residential landlords that anticipate the need to file a Failure to Pay Rent…