Maryland's rent escrow statute lets tenants withhold rent into court when serious defects threaten life, health, or safety. Under Real Property § 8-211, after written or other proper notice the landlord gets a reasonable time to repair; more than 30 days is presumed unreasonable, after which the tenant may bring a rent escrow action.
Md. Code, Real Property § 8-211 covers conditions that "present a substantial and serious threat of danger to the life, health, and safety of the occupants," such as lack of heat, light, electricity, or hot or cold running water (unless the tenant failed to pay), inadequate sewage, multi-unit rodent infestation, and serious structural or fire hazards. A tenant must notify the landlord by certified-mail written communication listing the defects, by actual oral notice, or by an official government violation notice. The landlord then has "a reasonable time" to repair, and "a period in excess of 30 days from receipt of notice is unreasonable" by rebuttable presumption. If repairs are not made, the tenant may "bring an action of rent escrow to pay rent into court," and the court may order repairs, abate rent, or appoint a repairer.
Court may order the landlord to repair, abate or reduce rent, or place rent in escrow until conditions are corrected; remedies run to the tenant rather than as a fixed fine (Real Property § 8-211).
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