Forcing a Landlord to Make Repairs

If there is a ”serious and dangerous” problem in the place where you rent, the courts can force your landlord to make repairs.  The legal term for the paperwork is the “Petition in Action of Rent Escrow,” which is filed in the District Court, is available in Adobe Acrobat format (.pdf) and can either be completed on-line, or downloaded and printed on your local printer, and completed in pen.  Do remember that the District Court does accept handwritten forms.

Baltimore City has a special rent court division of the district court, with its own clerk.  
They can be reached at:
501 E. Fayette St.
Baltimore MD, 21202
410-878-8640

Tips from the experts on general rent escrow information

See what Maryland law, Baltimore City law, and Baltimore County law say about Rent Escrow Court Actions

You Don't Have To Live Like This
The Legal Aid Bureau has a step-by-step guide to using the rent escrow laws to get rental housing repaired that you can read here, or you can download the booklet in Acrobat Reader format to print (see below for information about Acrobat Reader).

Petition in Action of Rent Escrow Form

The “Petition” is in a special format called “PDF” If you want to download the petition to your computer, you must have a program called Adobe Acrobat Reader. 

Download a free copy   

Help File for Adobe PDF Forms.

Last date legally reviewed: March 2001 - Susan Tannenbaum - BNI