What Housing Repairs are Landlord’s Responsible for in Maryland?

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The state of Maryland continues to be a popular place for people to move to. When you are going to move to this state, renting a home can be a good idea. When you do rent a home, you are going to have to sign a lease that will outline various responsibilities of each party. One section to pay close attention to is the repairs and maintenance sections. There are several types of housing repairs that should be properly identified in the lease as a landlord’s responsibility. 

Livable Conditions

In general, all property owners are required by the law to deliver the property to the tenant in a livable condition. This will include making sure that it has appropriate running appliances, access to clean water, heat, and electricity. Speaking of electricity, making sure you have an EICR if you are in the UK is absolutely crucial for you as a landlord. If there are any issues with these examples or other necessities, it will be the landlord’s responsibility to make necessary repairs. However, if the tenant was negligent or intentionally caused damage to these basic amenities, they can be held responsible as well.

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Major Repairs

The landlord is also often required to make any major repairs that are identified by the tenant. For example, if a tenant is experience a roof leak or notices structural damage in the property, the landlord will be required to make the necessary repairs. There is generally a process that should be followed to notify the landlord of any repair needs and then they will have a reasonable period of time to make such repairs.

Pest or Rodent Extermination

The state of Maryland has a unique rule regarding the extermination of pests of rodents in a unit. In all situations, a landlord is required to complete a full inspection and extermination of the property before renting it out. If an infestation develops during the term of the lease, and it is a single-family home, the tenant could be responsible for the extermination unless it can be shown that the landlord should have identified and exterminated the infestation prior to the start of the least term.

For a multi-family property with two or more units, the landlord is almost always responsible for extermination. If it can be proven that the tenant caused the infestation, or did not identify it early enough, they could be held responsible for the cost of the extermination. 

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Fire Safety

In Maryland, the property owner is required to lease the property in a fashion in which it is in compliance with fire safety requirements. This includes ensuring there are no fire hazards in the property, that the property is up to code, and that there are proper smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The tenant could be responsible for replacing the batteries but if there is a system failure, the landlord will be required to make necessary repairs.

Ordinary Wear and Tear

One of the issues that cause the most disputes among tenants and landlords is who is responsible for ordinary wear and tear. No matter how well the property and the interior fixtures are cared for, there is going to be some depreciation and wear and tear along the way. While the tenant is required to return the property in the condition it was received, this does not extend to ordinary wear and tear. The landlord is responsible for making any repairs that are considered normal. However, any negligence or intent by the tenant that leads to damage in the unit will be the tenant’s responsibility.

If you are going to rent a home in Maryland, there is always a chance that you could have a housing repair dispute with your landlord. If you have a repair dispute or any other dispute with a property owner, hiring an attorney experienced in landlord tenant disputes is a good idea. The team with Lusk Law LLC can provide you with all of your dispute resolution service needs. This can include negotiating with the other party and ensuring that the property owner makes any repairs that are necessary. 

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