Landlord-Tenant Code Rewrite
Landlord-Tenant Feedback Survey
We want to hear from you about what changes would be beneficial to the city's landlord-tenant code. Take the Landlord-Tenant Feedback Survey to provide your feedback.
Over the past 10 years, Rockville has gone from a 40% population of renters to renters now making up almost half of city residents. Since this trend is expected to continue, the city is seeking to ensure that renters have safe, healthy housing that meets their families' needs. With that goal in mind, Rockville is comprehensively reviewing its Landlord-Tenant Code (Chapter 18 – Rental Facilities and Landlord-Tenant Relations) and wants to hear from both landlords and tenants about their experiences in the city.
Rockville's Mayor and Council approved this initiative in November 2024 as a part of the city’s housing strategies work plan, which seeks to improve housing affordability and stability in the city.
What is included in the landlord-tenant code?
- Landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities.
- Complaint process and Landlord-Tenant Affairs Commission.
- Fee regulation.
- Inspections.
- Lease and notification requirements.
- Rental licensing.
- Minimum facilities requirements.
- Voluntary rent guidelines.
- Data collection.
Goals of the landlord-tenant code update
- Provide clarity on existing code elements.
- Consider alignment with surrounding jurisdictions’ codes.
- Improve housing stability and opportunities for tenant agency.
- Require greater transparency for tenants.
- Ensure alignment with state of Maryland law.
- Review local and national best practices.
- Better connect data collection and city goals.
Submit a Comment
Although we are in Montgomery County, the City of Rockville does not currently match the county's limit on rent increases. Rockville offers only a "recommendation" to landlords for rent increases; it needs to provide a legal cap on what landlords can charge for those who wish to renew their leases. The recommendation, as it stands now, cannot be enforced, and it can be ignored by landlords. This is unfair and unreasonable for tenants, and the rules should align with the other jurisdictions. In addition, renting a single family home should have the same protections for tenants as those in multi-tenant buildings. There are loop holes that allow landlords to charge more and have fewer limits. I love living in Rockville, but as a tenant whose rent increases 10-15% with each renewal, I can't afford to stay. Rockville needs to align with surrounding jurisdictions for rent increases and offer more protections to tenants.
We respectfully propose that the City of Rockville and Montgomery County consider amending current residential occupancy regulations/rewrite the code to increase the permissible number of unrelated individuals/tenants residing in a single-family rental property. Specifically, we suggest allowing up to six to eight unrelated tenants, contingent upon the property's square footage, provided that adequate parking is available. This adjustment would provide more affordable housing options for individuals who are recent graduates, early-career professionals, unmarried, or without children. Larger single-family homes with sufficient square footage are underutilized when limited to four or five unrelated tenants. In addition, Increasing occupancy limits can help alleviate the housing shortage by making better use of existing housing stock. By ensuring that occupancy is based on square footage and parking availability, the character and safety of neighborhoods can be preserved.
We believe that this amendment would contribute positively to the community by providing more housing options without compromising neighborhood standards.
It would be more beneficial when we grant landlords in Rockville more authority over shared housing arrangements—particularly when unrelated individuals are involved—is understandable, especially when considering the potential impact of a single problematic tenant on the entire household. I am a tenant in city of Rockville currently.
It would benefit more if we grant landlords in Rockville more authority over shared housing arrangements—particularly when unrelated individuals are involved, especially when considering the potential impact of a single problematic tenant on the entire household.