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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1460*
HOUSE BILL 1460
N1 6lr2004
By: Delegates Taveras, Lehman, and Terrasa
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Economic Matters
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Landlord and Tenant – Investor–Owned Single–Family Rental Property – 2
Landlord Requirements 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a landlord of an investor–owned single–family rental 4
property from charging a tenant more than a certain amount in rent, utilities, and 5
additional mandatory fees; requiring a landlord to disclose the fair market rent, last 6
sale price of a home, and the maximum allowable rent to a tenant or prospective 7
tenant; authorizing the Department of Housing and Community Development or the 8
Office of the Attorney General to impose certain penalties under certain 9
circumstances; requiring the Department to maintain a certain registry of landlords 10
of investor–owned single –family rental property; and gener ally relating to 11
investor–owned single–family rental property. 12
BY adding to 13
Article – Real Property 14
Section 8 –1101 through 8–1104 to be under the new subtitle “Subtitle 11. 15
Investor–Owned Single–Family Rental Property” 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Real Property 21
SUBTITLE 11. INVESTOR–OWNED SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY. 22
8–1101. 23
2 HOUSE BILL 1460
(A) IN THIS SUBTITLE THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 1
INDICATED. 2
(B) “DEPARTMENT” MEANS THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND 3
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. 4
(C) “ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY” MEANS: 5
(1) FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND FEDERALLY OR STATE ASSISTED 6
HOUSING, THE DEPARTMENT; OR 7
(2) FOR PRIVATE RENTAL PR OPERTY THAT DOES NOT ACCEPT 8
HOUSING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS, THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL. 9
(D) “FAIR MARKET RENT ” MEANS THE MOST RECENTLY PUBLIS HED 10
ANNUAL FAIR MARKET RENT RATE SET BY THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING 11
AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. 12
(E) “INVESTOR–OWNED SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY” MEANS A 13
SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY OWNED BY A PERSON THAT OWNS TWO OR MORE 14
RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTIES IN THE STATE. 15
(F) “MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE RENT” MEANS THE GREATER OF: 16
(1) 120% OF THE FAIR MARKET RENT FOR THE ZIP CODE OF A 17
SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY; OR 18
(2) 120% OF THE LAST RECORDED SALE PRICE OF THE 19
SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY DIVIDED BY 12. 20
(G) “SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY” MEANS A SINGLE –FAMILY 21
ATTACHED OR DETACHED RESIDENTIAL DWELLING LEASED TO TENANTS. 22
8–1102. 23
(A) THIS SUBTITLE APPLIES ONLY TO AN INVESTOR–OWNED 24
SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY. 25
(B) THIS SUBTITLE DOES NOT APPLY TO: 26
(1) AN OWNER–OCCUPIED RESIDENCE WITH ONLY A PORTION OF THE 27
RESIDENCE AVAILABLE FOR RENT; 28
HOUSE BILL 1460 3
(2) A SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A LONG–TERM 1
AFFORDABILITY COVENANT; OR 2
(3) A LICENSED KINSHIP HOME OR FOSTER CARE HOME. 3
8–1103. 4
(A) A LANDLORD MAY NOT: 5
(1) CHARGE MORE THAN: 6
(I) THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE RENT; 7
(II) THE DOCUMENTED COST OF UTILITIES; OR 8
(III) $100 PER MONTH FOR ADDITIONAL MANDATORY FEES; OR 9
(2) USE OTHER FEES OR CHARGES TO C IRCUMVENT THE LIMITS 10
ESTABLISHED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 11
(B) BEFORE A PROSPECTIVE TENANT ENTERS INTO OR A TENANT RENEWS A 12
LEASE AGREEMENT, A LANDLORD SHALL DISCLOSE IN A SWORN STATEMENT IN THE 13
PRIMARY LANGUAGE OF THE PROSPECTIVE TENANT OR TENANT: 14
(1) THE FAIR MARKET RENT AT THE TIME OF THE A GREEMENT OR 15
RENEWAL; 16
(2) THE LAST SALE PRICE OF THE RESIDENTIAL DWELLING; AND 17
(3) THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE RENT. 18
(C) (1) A TENANT OR PROSPECTIVE TENANT HARMED BY A VIOLATION OF 19
SUBSECTION (A) OR (B) OF THIS SECTION MAY BRING AN ACTION AGAINST A 20
LANDLORD FOR: 21
(I) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF; 22
(II) REASONABLE ATTORNEY’S FEES; AND 23
(III) TREBLE DAMAGES. 24
(2) THE DEPARTMENT OR THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, 25
AS APPLICABLE, MAY: 26
4 HOUSE BILL 1460
(I) FINE A LANDLORD UP TO $10,000; AND 1
(II) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE LOCA L 2
HOUSING AUTHORITY, SUSPEND THE LANDLORD’S RENTAL LICENSE. 3
(D) (1) A LANDLORD MAY NOT RET ALIATE AGAINST A TEN ANT WHO 4
ASSERTS THE TENANT’S RIGHTS ESTABLISHED BY THIS SECTION OR WHO REPORTS 5
PRICE GOUGING OR INSUFFICIENT DISCLOSURE TO AN ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY. 6
(2) IN ADDITION TO ANY RELIEF GRANTED UNDER § 8–208.1 OF THIS 7
TITLE, IF A LANDLORD RETALIATES AGAINST A TENANT: 8
(I) THE TENANT MAY REQUIR E THE LANDLORD TO SI GN A 9
12–MONTH LEASE RENEWAL AT THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE RENT; AND 10
(II) AN ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY MAY IMPOSE A CIVIL FINE 11
NOT EXCEEDING $10,000. 12
8–1104. 13
(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A PUBLICLY 14
ACCESSIBLE REGISTRY OF INVESTOR–OWNED SINGLE–FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY 15
LANDLORDS. 16
(B) A LANDLORD SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT, ON A FORM AND IN 17
A MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE DEPARTMENT: 18
(1) THE LANDLORD’S LEGAL NAME; 19
(2) IF THE LANDLORD IS AN INDIVIDUAL, THE PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL 20
ADDRESS OF THE LANDLORD; 21
(3) IF THE LANDLORD IS AN ENTIT Y, THE ADDRESS OF THE 22
LANDLORD’S PRIMARY PLACE OF BUSINESS; 23
(4) AN ACTIVE PHONE NUMBER AND E–MAIL ADDRESS AT WHICH THE 24
LANDLORD MAY BE CONTACTED; AND 25
(5) A PRINCIPAL AGENT OF THE LANDLORD, INCLUDING THE AGENT’S 26
FULL CONTACT INFORMATION. 27
HOUSE BILL 1460 5
(C) IF A LANDLORD SUBMITS FALSE INFORMATION FOR THE REGISTRY, AN 1
ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY MAY: 2
(1) REQUIRE A CORRECTION; 3
(2) IMPOSE A CIVIL FINE NOT EXCEEDING $10,000; 4
(3) IN COLLABORATION WITH THE APPROPRIATE COUN TY HOUSING 5
AUTHORITY, SUSPEND ANY RENTAL LICENSES HELD BY THE LANDLORD; AND 6
(4) PROHIBIT THE LANDLORD FROM OFFERING A PROPERTY FOR 7
LEASE FOR UP TO 3 YEARS. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 9
January 1, 2027. 10