Operative Text
(a) In this section, “utility service provider” has the same meaning stated in § 8–205.1 of this subtitle. (b) (1) This section applies only to a landlord of a building that contains five or fewer residential dwelling units. (2) This section does not apply to a landlord that requires a tenant, under an oral or written lease, to pay water, sewer, gas, or electric bills directly to the utility service provider. (c) A landlord that requires a tenant to make payments for water, sewer, gas, or electric utility services to the landlord shall: (1) Use a written lease that provides notice that the tenant is responsible for making payments for water, sewer, gas, or electric utility services to the landlord; and (2) Provide a copy of the water, sewer, gas, or electric utility bill to the tenant.
Under Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-205.2, when a landlord of a building with five or fewer residential units collects utility payments for water, sewer, gas, or electric service directly from tenants, the landlord must use a written lease that discloses this arrangement and must provide tenants with copies of the actual utility bills. This rule does not apply when tenants pay utility providers directly or when the building has more than five residential units.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Landlords of small residential buildings covered by Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-205.2 who collect utility payments from tenants generally maintain a written lease that clearly states the tenant's responsibility for those utility costs. Compliant operators also provide tenants with copies of the underlying water, sewer, gas, or electric bills to support transparency in billing. Landlords who instead require tenants to pay utility providers directly fall outside this section's requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Md. Code Ann., Real Prop. § 8-205.2, tenants in buildings with five or fewer units whose landlord collects utility payments have the right to receive a written lease disclosing that arrangement and to receive copies of the actual utility bills. If a landlord is not providing these documents, tenants can document the gap and explore options such as contacting a local tenant-rights organization or raising the issue with a housing authority. Consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with Maryland law can help clarify what remedies may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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