Cal. Civ. Code § 8-107
Md. Code Ann., Real Property Art. Title 8 — Landlord and Tenant
Operative Text
If there is no demand or payment for more than 20 consecutive years of any specific rent reserved out of a particular property or any part of a particular property under any form of lease, the rent conclusively is presumed to be extinguished and the landlord may not set up any claim for the rent or to the reversion in the property out of which it issued. The landlord also may not institute any suit, action, or proceeding to recover the rent or the property. However, if the landlord is under any legal disability when the period of 20 years of nondemand or nonpayment expires, the landlord has two years after the removal of the disability within which to assert the landlord’s rights.
Under Maryland Real Property § 8-107, a specific rent obligation tied to a particular property is conclusively presumed to be extinguished if neither a demand for payment nor an actual payment has occurred for more than 20 consecutive years. Once that threshold is crossed, the landlord loses the legal ability to claim the rent or any reversionary interest in the property, and no lawsuit or proceeding to recover either is permitted. An exception exists when the landlord is under a legal disability at the time the 20-year period expires, in which case the landlord has two additional years after the disability is removed to assert any remaining rights.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers who hold ground rents or similar reserved-rent arrangements under Maryland Real Property § 8-107 should be aware that failing to demand or collect a specific rent for more than 20 consecutive years can permanently extinguish the right to that rent and any associated reversionary interest. Compliant operators generally maintain records of rent demands and payments and take timely steps to assert their rights well before the 20-year mark is reached. Landlords who believe they may be under a legal disability that could affect the running of this period typically consult legal counsel to understand how the two-year post-disability window applies to their circumstances.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Maryland Real Property § 8-107 provides tenants and property owners with a powerful statutory presumption: if a specific rent tied to a particular property has gone undemanded and unpaid for more than 20 consecutive years, that rent obligation is conclusively extinguished by law. This means a landlord generally cannot bring a suit, claim the rent, or assert a reversionary interest in the property once that period has elapsed. Tenants or property holders who believe this provision may apply to their situation can raise the 20-year extinguishment as a defense in any proceeding, or consult a tenant-rights organization or housing attorney for general information about how this rule operates.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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