Operative Text
A park owner who purchases from a publicly regulated utility any electricity, gas, or other utility service for resale to a resident may not charge directly or indirectly for the resale an amount that exceeds the amount that the utility charges the park owner.
Under Maryland Real Property § 8A-503, a mobile home or manufactured housing park owner who buys utility services—such as electricity or gas—from a regulated utility and then resells those services to residents is prohibited from marking up the price. The resale charge, whether billed directly or bundled into other fees, cannot exceed what the utility itself charged the park owner. This rule applies regardless of how the charge is labeled or structured.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 8A-503, park owners who act as intermediaries between a regulated utility and their residents must pass through utility costs at cost—no markup, surcharge, or administrative fee may be added that causes the resident's charge to exceed what the utility billed the park owner. Compliant operators typically maintain clear records of utility invoices and resident billing to demonstrate that resale amounts match the utility's charges exactly. Billing practices that obscure or inflate utility costs, even indirectly, fall outside what this provision permits.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Maryland Real Property § 8A-503 gives residents a clear protection: if your park owner is reselling utility service purchased from a regulated utility, you may not be charged more than the utility's own rate. If your utility charges appear higher than what the utility would bill directly, that discrepancy may constitute a violation of this provision. Residents who believe they are being overcharged can document their bills, compare them against publicly available utility rates, and reach out to a tenant-rights organization or Maryland's relevant housing authorities to understand available complaint and enforcement paths.
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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