Submitted by TitsMageesVacation t3_zhcoo2 in baltimore
caro822 t1_izmgccn wrote
Reply to comment by TitsMageesVacation in Rent price fixing in Baltimore by TitsMageesVacation
What info specifically? The laws? Those are on the internet. For the pricing? Go onto the property website, and click the thing that says Floor Plans or Availability. Once you’re on a particular apartment you can usually see how different move in dates affect the price. Some have a “pricing calendar.” The day you move into what apartment for however long changes the price. Also the leasing consultant at the property will be able to tell you.
TitsMageesVacation OP t1_izmgfdj wrote
The new law. I couldn’t find any details online .
caro822 t1_izmh284 wrote
https://www.peoples-law.org/baltimore-city-rental-and-housing-laws. Under “Termination of Tenancy by Tenant. Law changed over the summer. It wasn’t widely publicized though. Even if you signed a lease that said 60 days, the law overrides that.
z3mcs t1_iznnt5m wrote
Thank you for all this info! I have half a mind to ask you to make a standalone post alerting people. I did want to ask about this portion of the new lsaw that is listed at the link:
> The tenant and the landlord may agree to a longer period of notice.
The next part after that just talks about having the period of notice be the same for tenants and landlords. But yeah that seems to say that the 60 days would stand if thats what you agreed to. How am I reading it wrong, or what’s the definition or other information that would make it line up with what you’re saying?
caro822 t1_izo4lzs wrote
So, with the company I personally work with, they told us that the law overrides the lease. This is because, if this goes to the housing court, the judge will side with the law, not the lease. The corporate office knows this, and if you push them, if they’re not stupid, they’ll follow the law.
Most of our policies are based on what will stand in a court vs. what we want to do. Like, my company used to charge $50 for a parking permit that wasn’t returned. But during COVID, the Baltimore judges stopped letting landlords charge for that because, “is a sticker worth $50?” No, it’s worth $.02.
Also, another pro tip, if you’re ever charged for damages, ask for the invoice. If it was done in house (trash removal is a big one) they can’t charge for that anymore. If there isn’t an invoice, you can contest the charge, and you will win.
z3mcs t1_izohhz5 wrote
Ah, okay. I feel like it would be a fight and the property manager would point to that part in the law
>The tenant and the landlord may agree to a longer period of notice.
And say "You agreed to a longer period of notice". But anyway, thanks for all the useful and informative information you've provided on this topic. Very good to know.
zk2997 t1_izmi71b wrote
Wow I just signed my renewal lease agreement a few days ago and it explicitly said 60 days.
I believe you but I’m wondering why they haven’t updated the pre-filled contracts yet. That seems like a pretty important detail that should be clarified immediately.
They actually sent me a separate email as well stating that I need to give 60 day notice if I’m not signing.
caro822 t1_izmish8 wrote
It’s 60 days in the rest of the State. So if you have a Baltimore City address, you have 30 days, anywhere else is 60.
zk2997 t1_izmiyjn wrote
I’m in the city and my contract that I just signed this week said 60 days. Is it one of those “the law says 30 but we can add onto that within the contract” things?
caro822 t1_izmjfe1 wrote
Nope. The lease can say whatever it wants. But it doesn’t mean anything if there is a law that directly contradicts it, like in this instance. So basically, if they’re giving you shit about not giving 60 days notice, just refer to the law. If this goes in front of a judge, the property managers case would be thrown out, and really that is the only thing that matters.
TitsMageesVacation OP t1_izuikhu wrote
you mentioned that the law changed over the summer, but do you know when the eblow became law? My lease states I have to give 60 days but they only have to give 30. If it was more than 10 months ago they had this in my lease illegally.
§8–501.
No written agreement between a landlord and tenant shall provide for a longer notice period to be furnished by the tenant to the landlord in order to terminate the tenancy than that required of the landlord to the tenant in order to terminate the tenancy.
caro822 t1_izurwze wrote
So, at my job, soon as the law was enacted over the summer, we had it apply to all leases. So even if someone had a lease that said 60 days, we only required 30. Again, my company’s main deal is “what will hold up in court?” If there’s precedence of a judge ruling with the tenant they stop enforcing a rule.
TitsMageesVacation OP t1_izutf3q wrote
Well I just picked this fight, so fingers crossed.
This has been really helpful for me, I know it would be for a lot of people dealing with these large land lords.
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