Before Renting Out Your House, Be Aware of Local Laws

I’ve mentioned in the past that I am a real estate investor. Among the properties that I lease there are both residential and commercial/retail, and I’ve had quite a bit of experience with just about every aspect of the process of renting out a home, office or apartment. For those moving out of a house and renting it out in lieu of selling it (which is how many people first get into real estate investing), it is important to understand local laws related to residential rentals. There are too many to mention here, since individual counties and cities within the state of Maryland have their own regulations and ordinances.

In Baltimore County, for instance, a law was recently passed that requires registration of all residential rental properties with the county, as well as a complete home inspection (by a Maryland-licensed home inspector) for each new tenant that rents the home. Throughout Maryland, there are lead paint laws that are designed to protect tenants (especially children, who are most susceptible to the effects of lead paint). There are inspection/abatement requirements throughout the state for properties built before 1978. In Baltimore City, all rental properties must be registered with the city (for a fee). In Salisbury, MD properties must be registered if they are rentals or if they are vacant and there is an ordinance that prohibits renting a residential dwelling to more than two unrelated people (within certain areas - primarily close to the university).

I’ve touched on only a few of the regulations, laws, ordinances, etc. that are related to owning and renting residential properties in Maryland. There are a number of online resources where one can learn more about this, but the Maryland Attorny General’s Office website is a good place to start. From there, you can learn about regulations specific to your county or municipality.