Some Information for Maryland Rental Laws.
RENT RECEIPTS
A landlord is required to give a tenant a receipt for a rent payment if the tenant makes the payment in cash or if the tenant requests a receipt. (In Anne Arundel County, a landlord is required to give a receipt unless the payment is by check or unless the tenant rents the property for commercial or business purposes.)


SECURITY DEPOSITS
A security deposit is any money paid by a tenant to a landlord that protects the landlord against damage to the rented property, failure to pay rent, or expenses incurred due to a breach of the lease.

The security deposit may not be more than two months' rent. If you are overcharged, you have the right to recover up to three times the extra amount charged, plus reasonable attorney's fees.
You must receive a receipt for the security deposit. The receipt can be included in the written lease. There is a $25 penalty if the landlord fails to give you a receipt.
The receipt or lease should tell you of your right to receive from the landlord a written list of all existing damages in the rental property, if you make a written request for it within 15 days of taking occupancy. If a list of the existing damages is not provided, the landlord may be liable for three times the security deposit, less any damages or unpaid rent.
The landlord must put the security deposit in an escrow account. When returning security deposits of $50 or more, the landlord must include simple interest of 3 percent per year, accrued at six-month intervals from the date the security deposit was paid (1.5 percent every six-month period).
Return of the Security Deposit
Security deposit disputes often involve misunderstandings about when the landlord is entitled to keep the security deposit, and disagreements about whether the tenant caused damage to the rental unit.

Q. Benny broke his lease when he bought a house. The landlord was able to rent to a new tenant three days after Benny moved out. However, he said he was keeping Benny's security deposit because Benny had broken the lease. Was the landlord entitled to keep the money'
A. No, not the entire amount. A landlord may only withhold from the security deposit an amount equal to actual damages suffered. The landlord didn't incur any expenses in re-renting, and there was no damage to the apartment, so his only loss was the three days of lost rent.

User Responses
From: 2130	Date: 07/10/2006
are there's laws about landlords/Maintence staff entering a unit your're renting without prior notification?
From: babydivadj	Date: 07/05/2007
Yes, it's in your lease that they cannot do that. PG County law also states that it is illegal for them to enter without at least 24 hours notice. The only time they can come in unannounced is if there is an emergency...HOWEVER, they must advise you within 24 hours that they were in your apartment to do x, y, z. SEE BELOW: Landlord's right to access Tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent for landlord to enter the unit to inspect, make necessary repairs, decorations, alterations, etc., or to show the unit to prospective purchasers, tenants, or mortgagees. Landlord must not abuse the right to access or use it to harass the tenant. Except in an emergency affecting health, safety, or welfare, tenant must be given at least 24 hours' written or oral notice and landlord's entry must be during normal business hours or at another time mutually agreed to by tenant and landlord. If tenant is absent from the unit at the time of entry, landlord must give tenant, within 24 hours after entry, a written report stating the purpose of the entry and the details of any repair, decoration, alteration, etc. Abuse of access rights by either tenant or landlord can be a basis for termination of the lease.

Your thoughts? Post a response to this review. Display my response: with my username anonymously Responses appear below reviews and one response per user is permitted.

   Free estimates on moving trucks      Find apartment share/roommates