Cal. Civ. Code § 8-305
Md. Code Ann., Real Property Art. Title 8 — Landlord and Tenant
Operative Text
(a) On a determination of reasonable probability, the court promptly shall issue an order directing that all goods on the leased premises not exempted by law shall be levied on. A copy of the order of levy shall be served on each tenant on the leased premises. If no tenant is found on the premises, a copy of the order shall be affixed in a prominent place on the interior of the leased premises. (b) The officer making the levy then shall proceed to make an inventory of each article of goods distrained on and deliver a copy to each tenant found on the leased premises. If no tenant is found, the officer shall affix a copy to the premises as provided above in the case of the order. (c) The officer serving the order shall make a return of the officer’s action to the court including the date and time of return. (d) If the plaintiff by verified petition requests the court to include in the levy goods subject to distress and claimed to be on the leased premises but not included in the levy and inventory, the court, after service of a copy of the petition on the defendant and any person claiming an interest in the goods, shall conduct a hearing on the petition. The court may amend the levy and inventory to include those goods the court finds should be included.
Maryland Real Property § 8-305 governs the distress-for-rent process, a court-supervised procedure in which a landlord may seek to have a tenant's goods on the leased premises inventoried and levied upon as security for unpaid rent. Once a court finds a reasonable probability that rent is owed, it issues a levy order, which must be served on the tenant or posted prominently inside the premises if no tenant is present. An officer carries out the levy, creates a formal inventory of the distrained goods, and reports back to the court. If the landlord believes additional goods subject to distress were missed, a petition process allows the court to amend the inventory after giving the tenant and any interested parties notice and a hearing.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 8-305, a landlord pursuing distress for rent must work through the court system rather than acting unilaterally — the levy is carried out by a court officer, not the property owner. Compliant operators ensure that all required paperwork, including the levy order and inventory, is properly served on tenants or posted on the premises as the statute directs. If a landlord believes the initial levy omitted goods that should be included, § 8-305(d) provides a verified-petition process to request an amended inventory, which requires notifying the tenant and any other parties claiming an interest in the goods before the court holds a hearing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 8-305 gives tenants the right to receive a copy of both the court's levy order and the officer's inventory of distrained goods, ensuring they know exactly what property has been subjected to the distress proceeding. Tenants — and any third parties who claim an ownership interest in goods on the premises — are entitled to notice and a hearing before the court can amend the inventory to add additional items under § 8-305(d). Tenants who believe the process was not followed correctly, or who dispute the inclusion of particular goods, may raise those issues before the court; consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office familiar with Maryland distress-for-rent procedures can help identify available options.
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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