Gaithersburg, MD Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Section 13-17 lists the landlord's minimum obligations for every rental facility in the city, except where a single-family lease shifts a specific duty to the tenant. Landlords must comply with every applicable federal, state, and city law governing the dwelling's condition, keep common areas and grounds clean and safe, make repairs needed to keep the unit in as good condition as it was at the start of the tenancy, keep electrical and plumbing systems in good working order, provide trash and garbage removal, supply water, hot water, and adequate heat as required by the City Code, and not interfere with a tenant's quiet enjoyment of the unit.

A 2024 amendment, Ordinance O-7-24, added a response-time duty: a landlord must respond to written city communications about a defective tenancy within 48 hours for an emergency and 72 hours otherwise. Complaints run through Article IV: a tenant files with the director, the director first attempts conciliation under Section 13-27, and if that fails the Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs holds a public hearing under Section 13-30, with the hearing held between 7 and 30 days after the respondent is served. If the commission finds a defective tenancy, Section 13-33 lets it order lease termination with return of rent and deposit, an award of actual damages up to $2,000 per unit, payment for temporary substitute housing, and revocation of the rental license for the unit if the condition threatens tenant health or safety.