Rental License Required

The Maryland Court of Appeals has made a ruling that protects renters from having to pay rent to unlicensed landlords in certain situations. Here’s a breakdown:

• Landlords can’t sue for unpaid rent: A landlord cannot take legal action against a tenant to recover unpaid rent that accumulated during any period when the property was not properly licensed.
• Tenant claims for damages: If a landlord tries to collect unpaid rent from a tenant while the property is unlicensed, the tenant may have a claim for damages under Maryland law. This could include recovering rent payments they made in response to the landlord’s collection efforts. In essence, in Maryland ignorance of the law is no excuse.