Can a landlord retaliate against a tenant for complaining in Maryland?
No. In Maryland, a landlord may not bring or threaten an eviction, arbitrarily raise the rent or cut services, or end a periodic tenancy because a tenant complained about a substantial health or safety threat, joined a tenants’ organization, or sued or testified against the landlord, but an action more than six months after the tenant’s protected act cannot be found retaliatory. Separately, the federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to threaten or interfere with anyone for exercising fair housing rights. This is Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-208.1.
| What | Maryland |
|---|---|
| Retaliation by a landlord | Prohibited by statute |
| Time period in the statute | Protected for 6 months |
| How the period works | The protection is tied to a fixed period |
Source
Md. Code, Real Prop. § 8-208.1
Read the statute in the Maryland Code (Maryland General Assembly): mgaleg.maryland.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
When an owner prepares an eviction in Seayora, it lists any repair request opened on the unit in the last 180 days that is still open, not to stop the case but because the tenant will raise retaliation and the owner should have an answer. Every repair request keeps the date it was filed.
Guides on this rule
- Landlord Retaliation Laws: Protected Tenant Acts and Time Limits — When an eviction, rent increase or cut in services is presumed retaliatory: 180 days in California, six months in Texas, a year in New York.
Compare this rule in every state
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The same question in other states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
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