A Landlord’s Guide to Self Management

Managing your rental property offers a fantastic opportunity for landlords who wish to take a more hands-on approach and reduce costs. 

As you transition to self-management, it’s essential to understand the responsibilities and legal obligations of being a landlord in Maryland. The existing lease and tenant handbook from Annapolis Property Services outlines our procedures, so we highly recommend creating new documents to reflect your specific management style.

This proactive step will help you establish clear expectations and ensure a smoother transition for both you and your tenant.

Topics and actions you need to think about: 

Communication with Your Resident

You’ll need to establish new procedures and communicate them to your resident. Here’s what you need to cover:

• Paying Rent: The lease with Annapolis Property Services specified our payment methods. You should inform the resident of your new process. Will you accept checks, electronic payments, or a specific online portal? Be clear about where and to whom the rent should be sent and any associated late fees.
• Maintenance Requests: Residents previously used our system to submit maintenance requests. You must provide them with your contact information and a clear method for submitting non-emergency requests. This could be an email, phone number, or an online form you set up.
• Emergencies: In a genuine emergency (e.g., a burst pipe, fire, or gas leak), the resident should know who to contact immediately. Provide them with your 24/7 emergency contact number and instruct them on when to call 911 first.
• Locked Out: Clarify your policy for lockouts. Will you provide them with a spare key in a lock box, or will they need to call a locksmith?
• Annual City Inspection: If your property is within the city of Annapolis, it requires an annual rental license and inspection. Annapolis Property Services handled this, but now it’s your responsibility. You’ll need to coordinate with the city and your tenant to schedule this inspection.
• Water Bills: Explain how water bills will be handled. Will you pay them and bill the tenant back, or are they responsible for paying them directly?
• Broken Appliances: Let your resident know your process for handling broken appliances. Will you attempt a repair first, or replace it outright? How quickly can they expect a response and a solution?

Maryland Landlord-Tenant Law and Compliance

Being a landlord in Maryland means you need to know and follow state and local laws. Here are some critical points to be aware of:

• Security Deposit: Maryland law is very specific about security deposits. You can’t charge more than one month’s rent for the deposit. You must also give the tenant a written receipt for the deposit and place it in a federally insured financial institution that does business in Maryland. The account must be exclusively for security deposits and must accrue interest. Within 45 days of the end of the tenancy, you must return the deposit (minus any legal deductions) and an itemized statement of any deductions to the tenant by first-class mail. Failure to comply can result in you being liable for up to three times the withheld amount, plus attorney’s fees. A great resource for this is the People’s Law Library of Maryland at https://www.peoples-law.org/security-deposits.
• Lead Paint: If your property was built before 1978 and is not certified lead-free, it must be registered with the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). You have to renew the registration annually and provide a lead inspection certificate at each tenant turnover. You also need to give the tenant the required educational materials. Failure to comply can lead to fines and loss of legal protections. The MDE’s website is a crucial resource for this: https://mde.maryland.gov/programs/land/LeadPoisoningPrevention/Pages/rentalowners.aspx.
• Notice of Tenant’s Rights: As of July 1, 2025, all new residential leases in Maryland must include the Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights. Make sure you’re up to date on this new legislation and provide the required document to your tenant. This ensures they understand their legal protections. You can find this document on the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development website: https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Tenant-Landlord-Affairs/Documents/Tenant-Bill-of-Rights-V1.pdf.
• Rental License: If your property is within the City of Annapolis, a rental license is required. This involves an annual inspection to ensure the property meets code requirements. You can find more information on the City of Annapolis website: https://www.annapolis.gov/1065/Rental-Licenses.

How to Handle When Things Go Wrong

Being a landlord isn’t always smooth sailing. Here’s how to prepare for common issues:

• Late Rent: Under Maryland law, you can’t impose a late fee until rent is more than 5 days late, and the fee cannot exceed 5% of the monthly rent. If a tenant doesn’t pay, you must provide a written 10-day notice of your intent to file for eviction before taking legal action.
• Unauthorized Pet or Occupant: Your lease should clearly state a policy on pets and occupants. If a tenant violates this, you can issue a formal notice to remedy the situation.
• HOA Violation: If your property is part of a Homeowners Association, you’re responsible for ensuring your tenant follows the rules. If a violation occurs, you should forward the violation notice to the tenant and require them to correct the issue.
• Uninhabitable Property: If a serious condition arises that makes the property unsafe (e.g., no heat, no running water, a collapsed ceiling), Maryland law requires you to address it within a reasonable time. If you fail to do so, a tenant may have the right to withhold rent through a legal process known as rent escrow or take other legal action.
• General Landlord-Tenant Law: Stay informed on current local and state laws. A great place to start is the People’s Law Library of Maryland: https://www.peoples-law.org/cat/landlord-tenant.