Effective Date: November 1, 2025
Jurisdiction: State of Maryland
Applies To: All landlords, property managers, agents and listing entities using Tentunit to list residential rental properties (including student-, young‐professional and family housing) in Maryland.
1. Purpose
This Statement sets forth the operational, legal, and ethical obligations that landlords must meet when listing properties via Tentunit in Maryland. By using the platform, the landlord agrees to comply with this Statement, Tentunit’s Terms of Service, Payment Terms, Fair Housing & Equal Access Policy, and all applicable federal, state and local laws. This document is not legal advice; landlords should consult qualified counsel for full compliance.
2. Listing Accuracy, Transparency & Advertising Standards
Landlords must ensure their listings are truthful, up-to-date, and fully reflective of the actual unit and terms offered.
Required Disclosures
Each listing must clearly disclose:
- Monthly rent amount, lease term (start/end or renewal/notice term), and earliest availability date.
- All one-time and recurring fees: application/processing fee, move-in/administrative fee, parking/amenity fees, pet fees or deposits, utility re-billing/allocations, any other mandatory charges.
- Security deposit amount (or any fee in-lieu) with full description of return conditions, deduction policy, timeframe.
- Utility responsibilities: which utilities the tenant pays, which landlord pays; method of sub-metering or allocation if applicable.
- Unit condition and amenities: photographs must represent the actual unit being offered (not a model unless clearly disclosed).
- Screening criteria: income thresholds, credit/rental history requirements, guarantor/co-signer policy, student status or age eligibility if applicable.
- True availability: The unit being listed must genuinely be available for lease. If already leased/held/unavailable, listing must be updated or removed promptly.
Prohibited Practices
- Advertising units that are not genuinely available or failing to update availability status promptly.
- Misrepresenting size (bedrooms/bathrooms), finishes, condition, views, amenities, location.
- Using “starting at” or “from” pricing without clear disclosure of eligibility, timing and unit availability.
- Omitting material fees or hidden costs so that a reasonable renter is misled about total cost.
- “Bait-and-switch” tactics: advertising one set of unit/terms and offering materially different one without disclosure.
Legal/Regulatory Context
Maryland’s landlord-tenant laws under the Real Property Article §§ 8-101 et seq. apply; for example, § 8-203 governs security deposits. Listing and advertising also must adhere to federal truth-in-advertising, consumer protection and fair housing laws.
3. Fair Housing & Equal Access
All landlords on Tentunit must comply with the federal Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.) and applicable Maryland and local non-discrimination laws.
You must:
- Apply neutral and consistently enforced screening criteria to all applicants regardless of protected class (race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, familial status).
- Provide reasonable accommodations/modifications for persons with disabilities when required by law.
- Avoid discriminatory or exclusionary language in advertising, screening, communications or leasing decisions.
- Maintain clear documentation of screening criteria, decisions and any accommodation/modification requests.
4. Communication Standards & Platform Responsiveness
To support Tentunit’s student/young-professional rental market and maintain platform credibility, landlords must commit to timely, transparent, documented communication:
- Acknowledge listing inquiries, application submissions or maintenance/repair requests via Tentunit (or another documented channel) within 24 hours, and provide substantive follow-up within 48 hours.
- Keep applicants informed of status (approved, denied, wait-list) and keep tenants informed of scheduled entries, inspections, repairs, or changes in terms/policies.
- Maintain listing data currency: If rent, fees, availability, photos, policies or utilities change, update the listing promptly.
- Communicate professionally, respectfully and non-discriminatory. Repeated failures to respond, or abusive/discriminatory conduct may result in listing suspension or account termination.
5. Lease Execution, Legal Compliance & Contract Terms
All leases executed via Tentunit (or for units listed via Tentunit) in Maryland must comply with state law and reflect best-practice standards.
Required Lease Elements
- Lease must be in writing (or properly documented via electronic agreement) and executed by both landlord/agent and tenant.
- The lease must include landlord/agent full legal name and address for notices/service of process (see Md. Code Real Prop. § 8-210).
- The lease must clearly state: rent amount and due date; lease term (fixed or periodic); renewal/termination mechanics; security deposit amount and handling; all recurring or one-time fees; utilities responsibilities; screening criteria; any student-/young professional relevant terms (roommates, sub-letting, early termination).
- Must include required disclosures: e.g., federal lead-based paint hazard disclosure for units built before 1978; any pet policy disclosures per Md. Code § 8-210.
- Lease must not contain terms that waive statutory tenant rights or permit unlawful self-help eviction practices (lock-outs, utility shut-off).
- Termination/notice provisions must align with Maryland law and local ordinance; landlords should refer to state statute and local jurisdiction requirements.
6. Habitability, Maintenance & Repair Obligations
Landlords are obligated to deliver and maintain the leased premises in a safe, habitable, and code-compliant condition per Maryland law and common law duties.
Key obligations:
- Maintain structural components: roof, walls, floors, windows/doors, stairways/porches must be in safe repair.
- Provide functioning utilities/systems if specified in lease or required by code: plumbing, electricity, sanitation, safe locks, egress.
- Respond in a reasonable timeframe to tenant repair requests that materially affect health or safety. While Maryland statute may not prescribe a precise timeframe for all non-emergency repairs, best practice is prompt action.
- Maintain documentation: repair request date/time, vendor/work-order, completion date/time, tenant notification, before/after photos.
- Landlord must not retaliate against tenant for exercising their legal rights (repair requests, deposit claim, etc.).
7. Entry, Inspections & Tenant Privacy
Landlords must respect tenant’s right to quiet enjoyment and ensure access is lawful and well‐documented.
- Landlord must provide reasonable notice for non-emergency entry; Maryland law and guidance from the People’s Law Library indicate the tenant must receive notice (e.g., at least 24 hours) unless emergency.
- Entry must be for legitimate purposes: repairs, inspections, showing unit to prospective tenants/purchasers, agreed improvements or as provided in lease.
- Document entry: notice sent date/time, entry actual date/time, purpose, persons present, condition observed, photographic evidence if applicable.
- Offer tenant a move-out inspection walk-through (if requested) and use a condition checklist with timestamped photos to support deposit reconciliation.
8. Security Deposit Handling & Administration
Maryland law under Real Prop. Art. § 8-203 (and related sections) sets strict rules for security deposits.
Key Rules
- A “security deposit” includes any payment of money given in advance by the tenant to protect the landlord against non-payment of rent, lease breach or damage. (§ 8-203(a)(3))
- Deposit amount cap: Under the recent Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024 (effective October 1 2024), for leases signed on or after that date, the maximum deposit is one month’s rent, except limited exceptions. Previously the cap was two months’ rent.
- Within 30 days of receiving a security deposit, the landlord must deposit it in a separate, escrow or trust account in a Maryland branch of a federally-insured financial institution.
- If the deposit is held for at least 6 months, the landlord must pay simple interest at the rate set by the State.
- Return timing & itemized deduction list: Within 45 days after the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the deposit plus interest (if applicable) or send a written deduction list with actual costs and send remaining balance.
- Failure to comply forfeits landlord’s right to withhold any portion, and the tenant may recover up to three times the wrongfully withheld amount plus attorney’s fees.
Tentunit Requirements for Landlords
- Use a move-in condition checklist, signed by landlord and tenant, with date-stamped photographs at the start of tenancy.
- Clearly disclose in listing and lease: security deposit amount, conditions for deductions, timeframe for return, deposit handling account/escrow, forwarding address requirement.
- Maintain ledger: deposit receipt date, amount collected, account location, forwarding address, itemised deduction list, refund date and proof of mailing.
- Return deposit (or itemised list + remainder) within the statutory timeframe (45 days) and pay interest if required.
- Avoid labeling any portion of deposit as “non-refundable” unless valid and lawful; clearly disclose all fees and deposits.
- On property ownership transfer during tenancy: ensure deposit is transferred to successor and tenant is notified (best-practice compliance).
9. Student-Housing & Young-Professional Focused Standards
Because Tentunit targets student and young-professional renters, landlords must adopt elevated standards:
- In listing disclose: proximity to campus/ university, public-transit/parking policy or costs, sub-letting or early-lease release policy, lease renewal/non-renewal process.
- Provide digital onboarding materials tailored for younger renters: move-in guide, roommate/shared-space rules, utility setup instructions, emergency contacts.
- Avoid predatory practices targeted at students/young professionals (excessive non-refundable fees, misleading campus-style claims, forced guarantor without alternative).
- Maintain accessible communication channels appropriate for younger demographic (mobile/app messaging, after-hours support, clear roommate/house-rule expectations).
- House rules (cleaning schedules, guest/party policy, roommate obligations) must align with statutory rights and lease terms; must be clearly disclosed and enforced fairly.
10. Documentation, Audit, Compliance & Platform Enforcement
Landlords must maintain institutional-level documentation and operate with full transparency; Tentunit retains strong enforcement rights.
Record-Keeping Requirements
Landlords must maintain, per property/ tenancy:
- Listing metadata: upload date, photo version history, availability changes, fee schedule changes.
- Screening/application logs: inquiry date/time, screening criteria applied, applications received, approvals/denials, communications.
- Executed lease file: signed lease (digital/paper), amendments/renewals, disclosures, guarantor/co-signer documentation if applicable.
- Maintenance/repair logs: tenant request date/time, vendor/work-order number, completion date/time, tenant notification, before/after photographs.
- Entry/inspection logs: notice sent date/time, actual entry date/time, purpose, attendee(s), condition noted, photographs.
- Security deposit records: deposit amount/date collected, account/escrow location, forwarding address documentation, itemised deduction list, refund date/proof of mailing.
- Communication logs: tenant-landlord messages via Tentunit portal or other documented channel: listing inquiries, application status updates, maintenance scheduling, entry/inspection notices, lease renewal/termination communications.
Tentunit Enforcement Rights
Tentunit may:
- Audit landlord compliance (listing practices, lease documentation, maintenance/entry records, deposit handling) at any time without prior notice.
- Suspend or remove listings for material or repeated non-compliance with this Statement, Tentunit policies or Maryland/federal law.
- Freeze or withhold landlord payouts tied to units flagged for unresolved compliance issues (deposit disputes, habitability complaints).
- Terminate landlord’s platform account permanently for serious or repeated violations.
- Report non-compliance or unlawful conduct to relevant state/local regulatory agencies (e.g., Maryland Attorney General’s Office, local housing code enforcement) as applicable.
- Seek recovery of damages, attorney’s fees and enforcement costs incurred by Tentunit as a result of landlord misconduct.
11. Indemnification
Landlord agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Tentunit, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents and contractors from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, costs (including attorneys’ fees) arising out of or related to:
- Landlord’s breach of this Statement or any Tentunit policy.
- Landlord’s violation of federal, state or local housing/tenant-landlord laws/regulations.
- Landlord’s mis-representation of the listing, unit condition, availability, terms or fees.
- Tenant claims or disputes arising from landlord’s acts or omissions.
- Platform investigations or regulatory enforcement triggered by landlord non-compliance.
12. Governing Law & Reference Statutes
Maryland Statutes & Reference Materials
- Md. Code Real Prop. § 8-203 – Security deposits: definitions, amount limits, handling and return. Maryland General Assembly+1
- Maryland People’s Law Library – Landlord Responsibilities document outlining deposit return and interest obligations. Maryland People’s Law Library
- Renters’ Rights & Stabilization Act of 2024 – newly enacted limits and protections for tenants. mdrealtor.org
- Montgomery County Dept. of Housing & Community Affairs — Security Deposits guide for Maryland landlords. Montgomery County Maryland
Federal Law Foundations
- Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.)
- Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (units built 1978 or earlier)
- Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) for eligible tenants