OFFICIAL-SOURCE UPDATE
Maryland updates tenant rights guide for October housing changes
The 2027 guide explains screening, subsidy and rental-payment reporting protections.
By Staff Writer · Reviewed 2026-10-05
A revised guide for leases
Maryland's housing department released its 2027 Tenants' Bill of Rights on October 1, 2026, incorporating laws taking effect that day. The department says the guide must accompany every residential lease and is revised annually.
Changes applicants and tenants should examine
The department describes limits on criminal-history screening and a ban on requiring prospective tenants to undergo drug or alcohol tests. It also explains protections for applicants using income-based rental subsidies against specified income and credit-based refusals. Other reasonable, nondiscriminatory grounds for refusal remain possible. Housing providers must offer tenants an option to report positive rental payments to consumer reporting agencies.
Match the guidance to your circumstances
Read the updated bill of rights and the Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs resources linked in the release. The release also describes cooling requirements for specified apartments; those conditions should be checked before assuming every rental is covered. Tenants and landlords can contact the office for help understanding their responsibilities.