What is the purpose of the Maryland Security Deposit Law?

The Maryland Security Deposit Law is designed to regulate how landlords handle security deposits from their tenants. This law aims to establish guidelines for the collection, holding, and return of security deposits to ensure that tenants are treated fairly and that their rights are protected.

Under this law, there are specific requirements governing the maximum amount a landlord can collect as a security deposit, the conditions under which the deposit may be withheld, and the timeline for returning the deposit to the tenant after they move out. For example, landlords are typically required to provide a receipt for the deposit and hold it in a separate account. They also need to provide a statement detailing any deductions made from the deposit when it is returned.

This legal framework is crucial in providing transparency and accountability in the rental process, helping to prevent disputes over security deposits between landlords and tenants. The other options, which focus on increasing rent, preventing evictions, or enforcing rent payment, do not align with the primary function of the Maryland Security Deposit Law, which is specifically concerned with the management of security deposits rather than other aspects of landlord-tenant relationships.