Know Your Rights as a Tenant in Rockville

Understanding Chapter 18 of the Rockville City Codes: Rental Facilities and Landlord-Tenant Relations

Be aware of the following rights and responsibilities as outlined in Chapter 18 of the Rockville City Codes Rental Facilities and Landlord-Tenant Relations.

Your Rights Under Sec. 18-161

Tenant Rights:

1. Self-Organization: Tenants have the right to self-organize.
2. Association: Tenants can form, join, meet, or assist one another within or outside tenant organizations.
3. Representation: Tenants can meet and confer through representatives of their choosing with landlords.
4. Collective Actions: Tenants can engage in concerted activities for mutual aid and protection.
5. Refrain from Activities: Tenants have the right to refrain from any and all such activities.

Right to Assemble:

• Tenants and tenant organizations have the right to free assembly in meeting rooms and other suitable areas within a rental facility during reasonable hours, upon reasonable notice to the landlord for tenant organization meetings.
• Landlords may charge a reasonable fee for the use of these rooms, but it must not exceed the regular fee schedule for other groups. Reasonable terms and conditions may be imposed, as long as they do not undermine the purpose of this section.

Distribution and Posting of Literature:

• Tenants and tenant organizations can freely distribute and post literature concerning landlord-tenant issues in centrally located areas of the rental facility, provided the literature is properly identified as to its origin.

Filing Complaints:

• Tenant organizations can file complaints in a representative capacity on behalf of tenants who have authorized such representation. This does not permit tenant organizations to exclusively represent any tenant or class of tenants unless specifically authorized.

Rent Increase Notification: Sec. 18-194(b)

Your landlord must notify you and the City of Rockville 90 days in advance of any rent increase. The notification must include:

1. Old Rent: The current rent amount.
2. New Rent: The proposed new rent amount.
3. Effective Date: The date when the new rent will take effect.
4. Percentage Increase: The percentage increase in rent.
5. Recommended Guidelines: Any guidelines provided by the City.
6. Rent Subsidy Programs: Information about rent subsidy programs available to tenants.
7. Additional Information: Any other information the landlord deems useful in explaining the rent increase.

Note: Landlords of single-dwelling units are not required to provide this information to the Director of Housing and Community Development.

Reporting Non-Compliance

If you suspect your landlord has not provided the required information to the Director of Housing and Community Development 90 days in advance of the effective date of any rent increase, you can contact the City to confirm. You may copy and paste the relevant code language in your email for reference.

Contact Information:

• Phone: 240-314-8300
• Email: hcd@rockvillemd.gov ; copy Councilmember Izola Shaw ishaw@rockvillemd.gov (who is the only renter of the elected body)

Stay informed about your rights and ensure your landlord complies with the city’s regulations to protect yourself and your fellow tenants.