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Housing and Financial Assistance

File a Landlord-Tenant Complaint

Chapter 18 of the Rockville City Code and provisions of state law regulate most aspects of landlord-tenant relations in the city. In addition to providing information about the law, city staff mediates disputes between landlords and tenants related to properties in Rockville.

Landlord-tenant complaints can be filed by completing the Landlord-Tenant Complaint Form below or by mailing a completed form (available in English and Spanish) to Rockville City Hall.

If a landlord-tenant complaint cannot be mediated by the city’s landlord-tenant specialist and there are reasonable grounds to believe a law was violated, the case may be heard by the Landlord-Tenant Affairs Commission. Any decision made by the commission may be appealed to the Circuit Court of Maryland. The following are examples of issues that can be addressed by city staff or the commission:

  • Disposition of security deposits
  • Rent increases
  • Unauthorized entry
  • Unlawful lease provisions
  • Lease termination
  • Nonpayment of rent
  • Lease violations
  • Evictions

Common Landlord-Tenant Issues

Find a list of common issues between landlords and tenants below. More detailed examples can be found on the Maryland Attorney General’s Office page about tips on avoiding landlord and tenant disputes.

If there are maintenance or physical issues with a property, a tenant should report a code violation.

Up to five unrelated people can live together in a single-family home sharing one kitchen.

A security deposit is a sum of money paid to the landlord that can be used for property damage, lease violations, or nonpayment of rent. It cannot be used to pay the last month’s rent.

Once the lease ends, the landlord has up to 45 days to return the security deposit with interest. If any portion is withheld, the landlord must provide the tenant with a written, itemized list of charges. The tenant is responsible for notifying the landlord of an updated address.

Security deposit interest rates are determined by the U.S. Treasury yield curve rates. Use the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development calculator to find the accrued interest.

Rent must be paid through the end of the lease, including the last month. Tenants cannot withhold rent if the landlord fails to make repairs.

Rent must be more than 10 days past due for a landlord to impose a penalty. The late penalty cannot exceed 5% of the monthly rent. Landlords may file a failure to pay rent case with the District Court of Maryland as soon as rent is one day past due.

Rent can only be increased once every 12 months. To increase the cost of rent, the landlord must notify the tenant in writing at least 90 days in advance.

If a tenant terminates a lease early, the landlord may charge a termination fee of up to two months’ rent. Terminating a lease due to a job transfer or relocation may result in a termination fee of up to one month’s rent.

A military change of station order exceeding 90 days requires a 30-day written notice to the landlord. If the tenant provides this notice, the landlord cannot charge a termination fee.

Both the landlord and the tenant must provide written notice to vacate a property, as required by the lease. Typically, single-family homes will require one month’s notice, and multifamily homes will require two months’ notice. However, requirements may vary, and the lease agreement will specify the exact terms.

The landlord must obtain a court judgment before evicting a tenant. To check whether an address has been issued an eviction, contact the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.

Landlord-Tenant Complaint Form

This service is available only to City of Rockville residents. Use our address finder at www.rockvillemd.gov/services to determine if you live within Rockville city limits.

City staff may make inquiries and request supporting documentation during the investigation and mediation of a filed complaint. If the complainant does not respond to staff inquiries within 60 days, the complaint will be dismissed.

Name(Required)
Address(Required)
Address Where Issue is Occurring
(if different from address above)

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Contact

Housing and Community Development Department
Housing Programs Division
240-314-8300
latinfo@rockvillemd.gov

Hours
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Address
Rockville City Hall
111 Maryland Ave.
Rockville, MD 20850

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