Under Maryland law, a landlord cannot charge a security deposit that exceeds the amount of two months worth of rent payments. For example, if the monthly rent is $500.000 the landlord cannot ask for a security deposit that is more than $1,000.00.
The tenant has the right to be present when the landlord inspects the premises before or after the tenant moves out. However, written notice must be given to the landlord at least fifteen (15) days before the expiration of the lease or the date when the tenant will move out. The landlord and tenant must then schedule a time for the inspection of the premises. The inspection must happen within five (5) days before or after the tenant’s move-out date.
If the landlord has to make repairs that are not considered “ordinary wear and tear,” they can use the funds made available to them via the security deposit to pay for those repairs. However, the landlord must provide to the tenant a detailed accounting of those repairs within forty-five (45) days of the date the tenant moved out of the leased premises. This forty-five (45) day rule is very strict and a failure of the landlord to adhere by this rule will result in a forfeit of the right to use those funds to make repairs to the leased property.