Q: My daughter has an issue with rodents in her apartment. After 3 wks of run around she gave 30 day now they want 60!!
We have tried to be patient with the scheduling but many times they do not show up or its a week later. My daughter hears the rodents in her kitchen nightly! She decided to give her 30 day notice and move. The manager states she has to give 60 days notice therefore locking here into an apartment that she has no choice but to move from because it is NASTY WITH RODENTS. I am looking for a lawyer as the Manager is not helpful and hung up on me when i asked for her boss' name for escalation.
A:
Generally speaking the right to get out of a lease is set by the lease.
That said, Maryland offers a procedure called "rent escrow" when a landlord refuses to repair serious issues. Although the landlord may not voluntarily let a tenant out of a lease early, if the conditions are bad enough the court could offer a variety of relief such as reduced rent. The extent of the problem may affect how the court perceives the situation and what relief is offered- for example, an occasional mouse or two might not render a property unfit for living, but an extreme and documented case of rodent infestation that a landlord refuses to address might.
A rent escrow action is filed in the District Court for the county where the property is located. The courts offer a free informational video for more information: https://mdcourts.gov/legalhelp/webinars/rentescrow
While not legal advice specific to your situation, I hope that this information helps!
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