Landlord and Tenant Lawyers in Owings Mills

Find the right Tenant attorney in Owings Mills, MD

Tenant Law in Maryland

Relations between tenants and landlords in Owings Mills, Maryland can occasionally be touchy. The fact is that it's not easy to be a landlord or a tenant, particularly because landlords and tenants often don't understand the legal rights and responsibilities that apply to them.

Landlords and tenants have to navigate a web of legal rights and commitments. It's essential that the parties to a landlord/tenant relationship know what obligations they have to one another.

Landlord's Rights in Owings Mills, MD

First and foremost, landlords have a right to timely payment of rent from their tenants, at the agreed-upon rate. This, of course, imposes on tenants a duty to pay their rent in whole, in a timely manner.

Additionally, landlords can bill the tenant for any damage they cause to the unit, whether it was intentional or negligent. The costs of repairs for such damage can be deducted from a tenant's security deposit, but it should be noted that tenants aren't accountable for normal wear and tear, over which they have little control.

Tenant's Rights in Owings Mills, MD

Much like landlords have a right to get paid for the service they provide, tenants have a right to get what they pay for: a suitable place to reside. In Owings Mills, Maryland, all residential rental agreements carry an "implied warranty of habitability." This means that a landlord implicitly guarantees that any residence he or she rents will be fit for human habitation. In general, an unit will be automatically deemed uninhabitable if it lacks running water, electricity, heat, and acceptable protection from the elements. There are various more factors that can be considered, as well, but those are some of the basics.

In addition to habitable living spaces, tenants also have a right to reasonably safe common areas. Common areas contain lobbies, hallways, and stairwells - essentially anything that everyone living in an apartment complex has access to. These common areas must fulfill the building standards of Owings Mills, Maryland, and must not contain any unnecessary safety hazards.

A tenant also has a right, under federal law and the laws of Maryland to be free from discrimination in housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, or gender. Landlords can further not discriminate against persons with disabilities, and must make reasonable accommodations for those disabilities.

Lastly, tenants are legally protected from arbitrary eviction. Landlords typically must have a very good reason to evict a tenant before the lease agreement reaches the end of its term (at this point, they are of course allowed to decline to renew the lease). Of course, if the tenant breaches the lease agreement (such as by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or violating other reasonable rules the landlord has put in the lease), the landlord, like a party to any other contract, is free to terminate the agreement and evict the breaching tenant.

Can a Owings Mills, Maryland Landlord/Tenant Lawyer Help?

Landlords and tenants almost always prefer to prevent conflict. In a perfect world, tenants would pay rent on time, and landlords would always provide the services that they're being paid for. As we know, the world isn't perfect. When situations demonstrate the world's imperfection, an Owings Mills, Maryland real estate attorney can help, whether you're a landlord or a tenant.

Talk to a Real Estate Law Attorney now!

Life in Owings Mills

Owings Mills, Maryland is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland. It has a population of just over 20,000 people, as of the 2000 Census. Owings Mills is a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland.

Owings Mills, Maryland is home to the headquarters of the Baltimore Ravens NFL team. In 2008, CNN named Owings Mills one of the best places to start or relocatea business, thanks to its diversity, concentration of young professionals, easy access to Baltimore, and a generous loan program for small businesses.

Owings Mills is a good place to live, raise a family, or run a business, thanks to the above-mentioned reasons, as well as its many shopping opportunities, and diverse culinary options. Needless to say, you'll have no trouble meeting your basic needs in Owings Mills. Of course, life wouldn't be much fun if all we did was meet our basic needs. Thankfully, there are numerous entertainment and cultural attractions in Owings Mils, and its proximity to Baltimore ensures that residents have easy access to the entertainment and economic opportunities that only big cities can provide.

Thanks to its diversity and healthy economy, there is a very robust legal community in Owings Mills. An Owings Mills, Maryland lawyer can help you with just about any legal issue you might be facing.

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