Home Table of Contents

§ 8-218. Reusable tenant screening report

West's Annotated Code of MarylandReal PropertyEffective: October 1, 2021

West's Annotated Code of Maryland
Real Property (Refs & Annos)
Title 8. Landlord and Tenant (Refs & Annos)
Subtitle 2. Residential Leases (Refs & Annos)
Effective: October 1, 2021
MD Code, Real Property, § 8-218
§ 8-218. Reusable tenant screening report
Currentness
“Reusable tenant screening report” defined
(a) In this section, “reusable tenant screening report” means a report prepared within the previous 30 days by a consumer reporting agency at the request and expense of a prospective tenant and made directly available to a prospective landlord at no charge for use in the rental application process.
Contents
(b) A reusable tenant screening report shall contain the following information regarding a prospective tenant:
(1) A credit report;
(2) For each jurisdiction indicated as a prior residence of the prospective tenant, regardless of whether the residence is reported by the prospective tenant or by a consumer reporting agency preparing a consumer report:
(i) A comprehensive criminal history records check for all federal, state, and local charges against and convictions of the prospective tenant over the previous 7 years; and
(ii) A comprehensive eviction history for all state and local jurisdictions for the previous 7 years;
(3) Verification of employment and income; and
(4) Current address and rental history.
Notice
(c)(1) A landlord shall notify prospective tenants regarding whether or not the landlord accepts reusable tenant screening reports.
(2) Notice under paragraph (1) of this subsection may be in writing or by posting notice in a conspicuous manner, including:
(i) A statement posted on a rental housing listing;
(ii) Notice posted on the homepage of a website;
(iii) Information provided in the rental application page for a rental property online; or
(iv) Any other manner reasonably calculated to provide potential tenants with notice.
Fees
(d) If a prospective tenant provides a reusable tenant screening report to a landlord that accepts reusable tenant screening reports, the landlord may not charge the prospective tenant:
(1) A fee for the landlord to access the report; or
(2) An application fee.
Changes
(e) A landlord that accepts a reusable tenant screening report under this section may require a prospective tenant to certify that there has not been a material change to the tenant's name, address, bankruptcy status, criminal history, or eviction history since the date that the report was generated.
Rejectability
(f) Prior to the execution of a lease agreement, a landlord may reject an application for tenancy if a prospective tenant made a material change to a reusable tenant screening report.

Credits

Added by Acts 2021, c. 783, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Acts 2021, c. 784, § 1, eff. Oct. 1, 2021.
MD Code, Real Property, § 8-218, MD REAL PROP § 8-218
Current through legislation effective through April 9, 2023, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
End of Document