Short answer: the Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 took effect October 1, 2024. For landlords, the main changes are a one-month cap on security deposits, a required Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights attached to every lease, higher eviction filing fees, and a first chance for tenants of one to three unit properties to buy before a sale to a third party. Source: Maryland DHCD.
1. Attach the Tenants’ Bill of Rights to every lease
Every residential lease must include the current Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights, unedited. The state publishes an updated version each October 1, so use the latest one. Source: DHCD Tenants’ Bill of Rights.
2. Security deposits are capped at one month’s rent
With a narrow utility assistance exception. Our security deposit guide covers collecting, holding and returning the deposit.
3. Eviction filing fees went up
Filing a failure-to-pay-rent case now costs the landlord $50, or $60 in Baltimore City, and the fee cannot be charged to the tenant except by deduction from the security deposit. The time between judgment and warrant grew from 4 to 7 days, and evictions are not carried out during extreme weather.
4. Tenants’ first chance to buy
Before selling a one, two or three unit rental property to a third party, the landlord must offer the tenant the opportunity to purchase. Check the exceptions with your attorney before listing.
Related rule: application fees
Separately, if application fees are over $25, Maryland requires you to return them within 15 days, keeping only what you actually spent on screening. This does not apply to landlords offering four or fewer units at one location. Source: Maryland Real Property 8-213.
How we handle it
Our leases include the current Tenants’ Bill of Rights, and deposits, screening fees and notices follow these rules on every property we manage. See our leasing service and eviction coordination.
Own a rental in Maryland? Get a free rental analysis. We tell you what the property should rent for and which of these rules apply to it.