County Reminds Property Owners They Must be Licensed to Be Landlords

Header--Montgomery County, Maryland. Press Releases

St/landlord.pr 00-266

Contact: Sue Rogan, 240-777-3722
For Immediate Release: July 11, 2000

County Reminds Property Owners
They Must be Licensed to Be Landlords

Montgomery County's Department of Housing and Community Affairs has mailed more than 20,000 renewal notices to licensed landlords, and the department is now reminding County property owners that they must be licensed in order to offer residential property for rent. Montgomery County's rental facility licensing requirement applies to all types of residential rental properties, including apartment units, single family detached homes, townhouses, and accessory apartments.

Fees generated by the licenses are used to provide services to landlords and tenants including: informational advice from landlord and tenant investigators during normal weekday business hours; a sample lease which complies with state and county laws; inspections by code enforcement inspectors to ensure that property is maintained in accordance with the housing standards; and complaint handling and mediation services by landlord and tenant investigators.

"We are pleased that the number of landlords complying with the law and obtaining this license is higher than ever," said Elizabeth Davison, director of the department. "However, property owners should know that each landlord-tenant or housing code complaint received by this department is checked against our licensing database, and landlords who are not licensed can be issued a civil citation with a fine of up to $500."

The license year coincides with the County's fiscal year, running from July 1 through June, but landlords may apply for a license at any time during the year. License fees, ranging from $30 to $55, vary according to the license type.

For more information, or to request a license application form, call the Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Licensing and Registration Unit, at 240-777-3636.

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