When you rent an apartment in Maryland, you have certain rights as a tenant. This includes the right to live in a safe, habitable environment. If your landlord refuses to provide that, you might have to pursue legal action.
Can you force a landlord to make repairs?
According to tenants’ rights laws, your landlord is legally obligated to fix major issues. This includes issues with your plumbing, electricity, heating system and anything else that affects your quality of living. It also includes anything that the landlord included in their contract.
If your landlord refuses to make repairs, you may want to contact your local housing authority to conduct an inspection. They may issue an order to the landlord to make repairs in accordance with local building, fire, or property maintenance codes. In most cases, the housing inspectors are looking for serious issues like a broken water heater, lack of heat, water intrusion, or a rodent/rat infestation.
If you contacted a housing authority and your landlord still refuses to take action, you could hire a tenants’ rights attorney and discuss filing a lawsuit. We have experience in bringing cases against landlords and property managers that force tenants to live in unsafe, unhealthy, and uninhabitable homes and apartments.
There is also a procedure in which a tenant can open a rent escrow action in the District Court and request to pay their rent into the Court while an inspector determines if the rental is suffering from life, health, and safety code violations. You may want to contact an attorney to discuss your rights and the proper course of action.
Has your landlord violated your tenants’ rights?
When a landlord rents out their property to another person, it’s the landlord’s responsibility to make sure that the property is safe and habitable. They have to ensure that major utilities like heat, water and electricity are all in working order. Additionally, a landlord must abide by their contract and avoid charging you extra fees that you never agreed to. You also have certain rights if you’re facing eviction; a landlord can’t just change the locks or throw out your belongings without going through the proper court process.
If your landlord violates any of these laws, an attorney may be able to help you hold them accountable. You might be entitled to compensation for their failure to provide you with a safe living environment.