Maryland renters rights
Maryland OAG Names Four Additional Defendants to 2025 RealPage and Residential Landlords Lawsuit
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today named four more landlords in Maryland’s suit against RealPage and residential landlords that used its revenue management software to coordinate prices and raise rents on thousands of Marylanders. The four new defendants are Camden Development Inc., Harbor Group Management Company LLC, Equity Residential Management LLC, and Trinity Property Consultants LLC. These landlords used RealPage's rent-setting algorithm to drive up housing costs for thousands of Marylanders,” said Attorney General Brown. “Our Office will not stop until we get complete relief or Marylanders, hold these Defendants accountable, and secure guardrails for this technology to protect renters ...
Post Crossover Priorities 2026
End Unfair Debt Practices SB 939/HB1098: Increase the amount of a homeowner’s equity protected from debt collectors. Each passed their chamber of origin and need to be amended to reflect the stronger, Senate amendments before final passage. SB865: Workgroup on the Affordability of Private Passenger Automobile Insurance – Extension and Alteration of Membership and Duties. Passed the Senate, waiting on action in the House. Keep People Housed SB353/HB523: Provide clarity to homeowners facing foreclosure and end zombie mortgage foreclosures. Passed the House, waiting on action in the Senate. SB180/HB213: Expand ability for fair housing organizations to root out discrimination. Passed ...
Take Action — Stop Rent Price Fixing in Maryland!
We believe that everyone has the right to safe, affordable housing. For far too many renters across Maryland, prices are out of control. One reason: private equity firms are working with landlords to stack the deck against hard-working Maryland tenants. Private equity firms are using technology to fix prices to squeeze every dollar from renters to increase millionaires' profits. Technology is used to collect data on rental prices and each day it recommends a new price for each empty rental unit using private data. This drives up prices and means one renter may pay a lot more for their apartment ...
Take Action to Protect Tenants! Close the HOME Act Loophole!
Housing vouchers and other rental assistance programs are a lifeline for families struggling to pay their rent. In 2020, Maryland passed the Housing Opportunities Made Equal Act, which added Source of Income to the list of protected classes in Maryland. The HOME Act was intended to ensure that landlords do not discriminate against tenants who use these rental assistance programs. Some landlords are exploiting a loophole to the HOME Act and use credit history or income information to refuse to rent to voucher holders. Applying credit and income-based screens to families participating in housing assistance programs is neither relevant nor ...
Take Action to Strengthen Fair Housing in Maryland
Everyone needs a safe, affordable roof over their head. Yet some property owners refuse to provide housing to Marylanders based on their source of income, race, disability, gender identity or other protected characteristics. This is illegal according to Maryland's fair housing laws, but we currently have trouble proving discrimination. SB180 will change that and make it easier to detect and root out housing discrimination.Fair housing programs test housing providers to ensure that they are following the law and root out discrimination. This work in Maryland is more important than ever since at the federal level, staffing and funding of the ...
Information for Property Managers post-Greystar
The Federal Trade Commission has issued guidance for property managers, following the lawsuit against Greystar, and subsequent settlement: To resolve allegations that Greystar’s practices violated the FTC Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the Colorado Consumer Protection Act, the company will pay $24 million. Greystar is also prohibited from misrepresenting the rental price of its units and must disclose all mandatory fees before accepting payment from prospective tenants. Read the rest of the FTC guidance here. If you have a landlord-tenant issue, please go here. For a Fair Housing issue involving discrimination, please go here.
Maryland Announces Eviction Prevention Funds for Eight Jurisdictions
While we do not provide financial assistance for eviction prevention, we're making sure tenants have up to date information on resources that can help. From the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development: To qualify for assistance from the eviction prevention program, a household must have a student enrolled in a Community School in a participating jurisdiction living in their home. Applicants must demonstrate an obligation to pay rent and experience housing instability, such as homelessness, risk of eviction, utility shut-off, or being behind in paying rent or utilities. Program funds can help eligible families pay for past due rent ...
New Maryland Tenant Law – Rental Late Fees
Starting October 1, Maryland renters who are being charged late fees can only be charged the 5% late fee on the actual portion of rent that's overdue. Example: If your rent is $1500 per month, but you made a partial payment of $500 before the due date, you can only be charged a late fee on the remaining $1000. For tenants who pay their rent weekly, the late fees are limited to $3 per week, not to exceed $12 per month. Any lease clauses that that include penalties that exceed these limits will not be able to be enforced. Landlords ...
New Maryland Tenant Law – Warrant for Repossession
A new Maryland tenant law goes into effect October 1 that tenants should be aware of. Real Property - Landlord and Tenant - Procedures for Failure to Pay Rent, Breach of Lease, and Tenant Holding Over requires a landlord to provide certain notice to a tenant when a court has issued a warrant of restitution for a failure of a tenant to pay rent, a breach of lease, or a tenant holding over under certain circumstances; and establishes certain procedures and requirements for the execution of a warrant for repossession. You can read the full text of the law here. ...
Great News for Heather Hill Tenants!
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has entered into a Final Order by Consent with Heather Hill Property Company LLC and Heather Hill Operating Company LLC (collectively Heather Hill) for alleged violations of the Consumer Protection Act and the Consumer Debt Collection Act in their operation of a large apartment complex in Temple Hills, Maryland. The Consumer Protection Division’s Final Order requires Heather Hill to provide restitution in the amount of an estimated $11.2 million. This settlement is the largest amount of restitution obtained by the Consumer Protection Division in a landlord/tenant case. “This ...