In a decisive move for renter rights, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed Bill 6-25 into law yesterday, promising a crackdown on neglectful landlords who fail to adhere to housing code regulations. According to an announcement published on the Montgomery County government's official website, the new legislation removes a longstanding exemption for landlord/tenant issues under the region's Consumer Protection law, thereby arming the county with more muscle to ensure compliance.
Championed by County Councilmember Kristin Mink, along with cosponsors Council Vice President Will Jawando and Dawn Luedtke, the law was adopted unanimously on April 1, marking an end to the days where tenants had limited options to hold their landlords accountable for poor living conditions; the law will be in force starting July 14, 2025. "This bill will help protect renters from bad landlords who delay fixing housing code violations," Elrich stated, as cited by the Montgomery County government, "and it will enable us to sue landlords who demonstrate a pattern of deceptive practices in Circuit Court."
Bill 6-25 gained backing from a coalition including Action in Montgomery, Service Workers International Union Local 500, and the Muslim Community Center of Silver Spring, underscoring its broad support base. The new law heralds a significant shift in policy, unpacking tools that allow for serious legal actions against landlords who consistently subject their tenants to substandard living conditions. According to an interview with County Councilmember Mink, featured on the Montgomery County government's website, "With this bill’s enactment, that changes. Rent – the largest expense of about 40% of our residents – will finally be protected under our Consumer Protection law, allowing the County to take substantial action against bad actor landlords."
Preceding this law, county tenants had to navigate a labyrinthine process, filing formal complaints through the Department of Housing and Community Affairs for housing code breaches, but with the recent expansion of enforcement powers of the Office of Consumer Protection, those days are now behind.
