Maryland's eviction laws underwent significant changes in October 2025, and many landlords in Harford County are still operating under outdated procedures. These mistakes aren't just inconvenient: they can invalidate your eviction case, cost you thousands in legal fees, and expose you to tenant lawsuits.
If you own rental property in Harford, Cecil, or Baltimore Counties, you need to understand these seven critical errors landlords are making right now.
Mistake #1: Using Verbal or Informal Eviction Notices
The Old Way: Many landlords were accustomed to giving tenants verbal warnings or posting informal notes about evictions or non-payment.
What Changed: As of October 1, 2025, Maryland law requires all eviction notices and warrants of restitution to be provided in writing and properly delivered to the tenant. No exceptions.
Proper delivery means hand-delivery, certified mail, or posting in a conspicuous place on the property if the tenant cannot be located. A text message, phone call, or casual conversation doesn't meet the legal standard.
Why This Matters: If you proceed with an eviction without proper written notice, the court will dismiss your case. You'll lose filing fees, waste time, and have to start the entire process over. In Harford County, where tenant advocacy is growing stronger, judges are enforcing these requirements strictly.
Mistake #2: Passing Eviction Filing Fees to Tenants
The Cost Increase: Eviction filing fees increased to $50 statewide in 2025 ($60 in Baltimore City). While this might seem like a minor increase, the bigger issue is how landlords are handling these costs.
The Mistake: Many landlords are adding eviction filing fees to tenant ledgers or demanding tenants reimburse them as part of a settlement agreement. This is now explicitly prohibited under Maryland law.
You cannot require tenants to pay court filing fees as a condition of resolving an eviction case or as part of any payment plan. This includes:
- Adding the $50 fee to the tenant's outstanding balance
- Requiring reimbursement in a stipulation agreement
- Charging the fee as a "court cost" on the final accounting
The Risk: Attempting to pass these fees to tenants can be used as evidence that you're operating in bad faith. It can also provide grounds for the tenant to file a complaint with the Maryland Attorney General's office.
If you're unsure about how to properly account for eviction costs, consult with a property management professional who stays current on Maryland regulations.
Mistake #3: Providing Insufficient Advance Notice Before Eviction
The New Standard: Maryland now requires a minimum of 6 days' written advance notice before the initial scheduled eviction date. Local jurisdictions can extend this requirement to between 4 and 14 days.
What Harford County Landlords Miss: The notice requirement is separate from the initial eviction notice. This is advance warning before the sheriff actually removes the tenant from the property.
Here's how the timeline works:
- You provide the initial eviction notice (typically 14 or 30 days depending on the reason)
- You file the eviction case and attend the hearing
- If you win, the court issues a warrant of restitution
- You must now provide at least 6 days' written advance notice before the eviction date
Common Error: Landlords schedule the eviction with the sheriff and assume the tenant will be notified. You must provide your own written notice to the tenant at least 6 days before the scheduled eviction date.
Document everything. Take photos of posted notices. Keep certified mail receipts. In eviction proceedings, proof of proper notice is your strongest defense.
Mistake #4: Not Attaching the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights to Leases
Effective Date: July 1, 2025
The Requirement: Every residential lease signed on or after July 1, 2025, must include a copy of the Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights. This is not optional.
What's Included: The Bill of Rights outlines:
- Notice requirements before landlord entry (24 hours minimum)
- Security deposit return procedures and timelines
- Limits on application and screening fees
- Tenant rights regarding repairs and habitability
- Eviction process protections
- Retaliation prohibitions
The Mistake: Many landlords in Harford County are still using old lease templates that don't include this document. Some are aware of the requirement but treating it as a suggestion rather than a legal mandate.
Consequences: A lease without the attached Bill of Rights may be considered non-compliant. While this alone won't void your lease, it weakens your position in any dispute and can be cited as evidence of landlord non-compliance if the tenant files a complaint.
Update your lease templates now. If you're using property management software, verify it has been updated to include the current Maryland-compliant lease addenda.
Mistake #5: Entering Properties Without 24-Hour Written Notice
The Standard: Maryland law has always required reasonable notice before landlord entry. The 2025 Tenants' Bill of Rights codified this as a minimum of 24 hours' written notice except in emergencies.
Where Landlords Go Wrong: The notice must be written. A text message meets this requirement if you can prove it was sent and received, but a phone call does not.
Acceptable entry scenarios include:
- Making repairs (with 24-hour notice)
- Showing the property to prospective tenants or buyers (with 24-hour notice)
- Inspections specified in the lease (with 24-hour notice)
- Emergency situations (no notice required, but document the emergency)
The Gray Area: Some landlords believe they can enter anytime if they provide notice in the lease (e.g., "Landlord may enter at any time with 24-hour notice for any reason"). While the lease can specify entry terms, you still need to provide actual written notice before each entry.
Best Practice: Send written notice via email or text at least 24 hours before entry. Include the date, time, and reason for entry. Keep records of all entry notices. At Entrusted Property Management, we maintain digital logs of all property entries to protect both landlords and tenants.
Mistake #6: Charging Excessive Application and Screening Fees
The New Limits: The Maryland Tenants' Bill of Rights establishes reasonable limits on what landlords can charge for rental applications and tenant screening.
What You Can Charge:
- Application fees must be reasonable and cover only actual costs
- You can charge for credit checks, background checks, and employment verification
- You cannot charge fees that exceed the actual cost of screening services
What Constitutes "Reasonable": Most tenant screening services charge between $25 and $50 per applicant. If you're charging $100+ per application, you're likely exceeding Maryland's reasonableness standard.
The Mistake: Some Harford County landlords are still charging $75-$150 application fees that include profit margins or administrative costs beyond actual screening expenses. Others are requiring application fees from all interested parties, even if they've already selected a tenant.
Better Approach:
- Charge only what your screening service costs
- Provide receipts or documentation of screening costs if requested
- Screen applicants in order and stop accepting applications once you've selected a tenant
- Consider crediting the application fee toward the first month's rent or security deposit for the selected tenant
This isn't just about compliance: excessive fees discourage quality tenants and create unnecessary friction in the landlord-tenant relationship.
Mistake #7: Mishandling Security Deposits Under New Rules
The Maryland Standard: Landlords must return security deposits within 45 days of the tenant moving out, along with an itemized list of any deductions and receipts for work performed.
What Changed: The 2025 Tenants' Bill of Rights strengthened enforcement of existing security deposit laws and increased tenant awareness of their rights.
Common Errors:
Failure to provide itemized deductions: You cannot simply keep $500 from a $1,500 deposit without detailed documentation. Each deduction must be itemized with corresponding receipts or invoices.
Charging for normal wear and tear: Faded paint, minor carpet wear, and small nail holes are normal wear and tear. You cannot deduct for these items.
Missing the 45-day deadline: If you don't return the deposit or provide an itemized list within 45 days, the tenant can sue for up to three times the deposit amount plus attorney fees.
Not conducting move-in/move-out inspections: Without documented pre-existing conditions, you'll struggle to justify any security deposit deductions.
Best Practices for Harford County Landlords:
- Conduct detailed move-in inspections with photos and written documentation
- Provide tenants with copies of the inspection report
- Conduct move-out inspections with the tenant present when possible
- Get actual invoices from contractors for any repair work
- Return deposits with itemized deductions within 30 days (not 45: give yourself a buffer)
- Send deposits via certified mail to document delivery
Security deposit disputes are among the most common landlord-tenant conflicts in Maryland. Following proper procedures protects you from costly litigation.
What This Means for Harford County Property Owners
Maryland's 2025 eviction law changes represent a significant shift toward stronger tenant protections. For landlords in Harford, Cecil, and Baltimore Counties, this means you need systems in place to ensure compliance with written notice requirements, proper fee handling, and documented procedures.
The landlords who struggle most with these changes are those managing their own properties without proper systems or professional support. The margin for error has decreased substantially.
Your Options:
Option 1: Update Your Systems
- Revise all lease templates to include the Tenants' Bill of Rights
- Create documented procedures for notices, inspections, and deposits
- Implement record-keeping systems for all tenant communications
- Train yourself on current Maryland landlord-tenant law
Option 2: Work with Property Management Professionals
- Partner with a company that specializes in Maryland property management
- Ensure compliance with all state and local regulations
- Reduce your legal exposure through proper procedures
- Focus on property ownership while experts handle operations
At Entrusted Property Management, we've spent the past year updating our systems to ensure full compliance with Maryland's 2025 eviction law changes. Our team handles properties throughout Harford County and stays current on all local and state regulations affecting landlords.
The cost of non-compliance: dismissed eviction cases, tenant lawsuits, and regulatory penalties: far exceeds the cost of proper property management or professional legal guidance.
If you're uncertain about how these changes affect your rental properties, now is the time to get expert guidance. Maryland's enforcement of landlord-tenant law is only getting stricter, and Harford County courts are paying close attention to landlord compliance.
Don't let outdated procedures put your rental income and property investment at risk.
