Maryland Realtors to Fix Lease Over Service Animal Fees
State of MD - Renters across Maryland who use service animals should no longer face automatic cleaning fees in a lease form used by real estate agents statewide. The change comes from a settlement with the state.
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the deal with the Maryland Association of Realtors. It ends an investigation by his office's Civil Rights Division into the group's General Model Residential Dwelling Lease.
The association offers that lease as a template. Its members can use it when they set up rental leases for their clients, so the same wording can show up in homes and apartments all over the state.
The problem was in how the lease treated service animals. It required renters with disabilities who use a service animal to pay for de-ticking, de-fleaing, and carpet cleaning every time, whether the unit needed any of it or not.
Federal and state fair housing laws don't allow that. Those fees can only be charged if the service animal actually caused the kind of damage that would call for those services.
Once the Civil Rights Division raised the issue, the association moved right away to correct it. The group also agreed to do more to help Marylanders with disabilities.
Under the settlement, the association will change the wording in its model lease so it follows fair housing laws. It will also pay $20,000 in restitution to support housing services for people with disabilities. Those services are provided by Maryland's Centers for Independent Living.
Another $10,000 will go to Economic Action Maryland. That money will pay for education for tenants with disabilities across Maryland.
On top of that, the association agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty. That brings the total to $50,000.
Brown said the fix will help renters with disabilities all over the state.
"A service animal is not a pet, and it should not come with extra fees," said Attorney General Brown. "This settlement fixes a lease used across Maryland so renters with disabilities do not pay more for the accommodations they are entitled to under the law."
Brown thanked the Civil Rights Division staff who worked on the case. He named Division Chief Jonathan Smith, Deputy Chief Rashida Ogletree-George, Assistant Attorney General David A. Prater, and Investigator Muhammad Arsh E Mullah.
The division looks into civil rights violations in Maryland and works to fix them. Its job is to protect residents and promote equal opportunity in housing, jobs, and public services.
If you think your civil rights have been violated, you can email the Civil Rights Division at civilrights@oag.maryland.gov. You can also call 410-576-6300 or toll-free at 888-743-0023. Reports can be filed with the division using its Civil Rights Complaint Form.
