Operative Text
(a) In this section, “utility service provider” means a public service company or a unit of State or local government that provides water, sewer, gas, or electric utility services. (b) (1) This section applies only to a landlord of a building that contains six or more residential dwelling units. (2) This section does not apply to: (i) A landlord that requires a tenant, under an oral or written lease, to pay water, sewer, gas, or electric bills directly to the utility service provider; or (ii) A utility that is allocated using a ratio utility billing system, as defined in § 8–212.4 of this subtitle. (c) A landlord that requires a tenant to make payments for water, sewer, gas, or electric utility services to the landlord shall: (1) Use a written lease that provides notice that the tenant is responsible for making payments for water, sewer, gas, or electric utility services to the landlord; and (2) (i) Provide a copy of the water, sewer, gas, or electric bill to the tenant; or (ii) Before the beginning of the initial lease and each term thereafter for the duration of the tenancy, notify the tenant in writing of the total utility costs billed to the landlord in the immediately preceding year for water, sewer, gas, or electric utility services, disaggregated by utility type.
Maryland Real Property § 8-205.1 governs how landlords in buildings with six or more residential units must handle utility billing when tenants pay utility costs directly to the landlord rather than to the utility provider. Under this rule, the landlord must use a written lease that clearly discloses the tenant's responsibility for those utility payments. Additionally, the landlord must either share copies of the actual utility bills with the tenant or, before each lease term begins, provide a written breakdown of the prior year's total utility costs separated by utility type. This section does not apply when tenants pay utility providers directly or when costs are distributed through a ratio utility billing system.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Landlords covered by § 8-205.1—those operating buildings with six or more units where tenants remit utility payments to the landlord—generally ensure that every written lease contains explicit language identifying the tenant's utility payment obligation. Compliant operators also establish a routine practice of either furnishing tenants with copies of actual utility bills or delivering a written annual utility cost disclosure, broken down by utility type, before each lease term commences. Keeping organized records of utility bills and disclosure notices helps demonstrate ongoing compliance with these requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 8-205.1, tenants in qualifying buildings who pay utility costs to their landlord have a right to receive either copies of the actual utility bills or a written annual summary of prior-year utility costs, disaggregated by utility type, before each lease term begins. If a landlord fails to provide the required written lease disclosure or the utility cost information, tenants may have grounds to raise that failure in a dispute or complaint proceeding. Tenants who believe these requirements are not being met can consult a local tenant-rights organization or Maryland legal aid office to understand the options available to them.
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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