Cal. Civ. Code § 8-208.2
Md. Code Ann., Real Property Art. Title 8 — Landlord and Tenant
Operative Text
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of § 8-208.1 of this subtitle, a landlord of real property subject to the provisions of Title 6, Subtitle 8 of the Environment Article may not evict or take any other retaliatory action against a tenant primarily as a result of the tenant providing information to the landlord under Title 6, Subtitle 8 of the Environment Article. (b) For purposes of this section, a retaliatory action includes: (1) An arbitrary refusal to renew a lease; (2) Termination of a tenancy; (3) An arbitrary rent increase or decrease in services to which the tenant is entitled; or (4) Any form of constructive eviction. (c) A tenant subject to an eviction or retaliatory action under this section is entitled to the relief, and is eligible for reasonable attorney’s fees and costs, authorized under § 8-208.1 of this subtitle. (d) Nothing in this section may be interpreted to alter the landlord’s or the tenant’s rights arising from a breach of any provision of a lease.
Maryland Real Property § 8-208.2 prohibits landlords of properties covered by the Environment Article's lead-paint provisions (Title 6, Subtitle 8) from evicting or retaliating against a tenant primarily because that tenant provided information to the landlord under those lead-paint rules. Retaliatory actions under this section include arbitrary lease non-renewals, tenancy terminations, unjustified rent increases, reductions in entitled services, and constructive eviction. Tenants harmed by such retaliation may seek the same remedies available under § 8-208.1, including reasonable attorney's fees and costs, and the provision does not disturb either party's rights stemming from an actual lease breach.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Landlords of properties subject to Maryland's lead-paint disclosure and remediation requirements (Environment Article, Title 6, Subtitle 8) must be careful that any adverse action taken against a tenant—such as a rent increase, service reduction, lease non-renewal, or eviction proceeding—is not driven primarily by the tenant having reported lead-related information under those rules, as § 8-208.2 expressly prohibits such retaliation. Compliant operators document the independent, legitimate business reasons behind any tenancy decisions so that those decisions are clearly distinguishable from a tenant's lead-paint communications. Landlords should also be aware that § 8-208.2(d) preserves their right to act on genuine lease breaches, meaning that well-documented lease violations remain a lawful basis for action.
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. § 8-208.2, tenants living in properties covered by Maryland's lead-paint laws have a specific protection against retaliation when they provide lead-related information to their landlord—meaning a landlord cannot use that disclosure as the primary reason to evict, raise rent arbitrarily, cut services, refuse to renew a lease, or otherwise constructively force a tenant out. If a tenant believes an adverse action violates § 8-208.2, they may be entitled to relief and potentially reasonable attorney's fees and costs as provided under § 8-208.1. Tenants who believe their rights under this section have been violated may consider consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand the range of options available to them.
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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