Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Maryland

being charged 3 months rent for keys

On 12/6/04 I hand delivered my formal intent/60 day notice to vacate my apartment to the rental office. On 12/10/04 I received acknowledge from the rental office of my intent. In that acknowledgement it states that ''I will be required to pay rent through 2/2005 and that I need to make sure all keys are returned or I may be charged for these keys and this my delay refund of my security deposit.'' I actually vacated the apartment 12/21/2004 but continued to pay rent through 2/2005 as required. On 6/16/2005 I received a call from a collection agency stating I owed 3 months rent. I contacted the rental office and was told because I didn't returned the keys they had to evict me(confusing). However in the middle of February I returned to the apartment to finish cleaning to find the locks had been changed. The rental office agrees that I was paid through February and rent was always paid on time. No where does it state I will be charge three months rent for not returning keys. Can they do this and also the fact that they changed the locks in the middle of February and my rent was paid through the end of February isn't that a violation.


Asked on 6/22/05, 12:53 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Alton Drew Alton Drew, LLC

Re: being charged 3 months rent for keys

You were still a tenant through the end of February. Was this a twelve month lease and if so, what was the period it run through? February 2004 to February 2005? Also, when you attempted to clean the apartment, did you go to the rental office to inform them of the change in locks?

Read more
Answered on 6/23/05, 7:51 am


Related Questions & Answers

More Landlord & Tenants questions and answers in Maryland