Renewing your rental license
By Code Enforcement Staff
On or before Nov. 30, information will be sent out to all Takoma Park landlords informing them that they must apply for the renewal of their rental housing licenses. All applications must be submitted online as the City no longer accepts paper copies of the application for renewals. Email addresses are also now required by code.
If you own a rental housing property or unit in Takoma Park, you are required to obtain a rental housing license. There are five requirements that must be satisfied before the City will renew your rental license. You must 1) complete the online application, 2) pay the license fee (charged per unit), 3) maintain a valid Landlord certification, 4) must meet the lead risk requirements for the Maryland Department of Environment (MDE), and 5) successfully pass a property maintenance code inspection. Licenses are issued for the calendar year and only after all requirements have been met.
If your landlord certification has expired, we offer a class every other month at the community center that introduces and briefly reviews the requirements and laws that apply to rental housing in Takoma Park. The classes are held the third Wednesday of every other month on alternating mornings and evenings in the auditorium. If you plan on attending, please call 301- 891-7255 to register for the class. A schedule can be found on the City’s website.
New in 2015 is a change in the MDE requirements from a construction date of 1950 to 1978. Additional information is available online www.MDE.state.md.us/ lead or by contacting the MDE at 800- 633-6101 x4199 or 410-537-4199.
Why be licensed? If your property is not licensed, neither the tenants nor the landlords are protected by Takoma Park’s laws governing rental properties. This is especially important in dealing with health and safety issues, repairs, security deposits and issues with leases and rents. Please ensure that your rental property is licensed so that the rights of all parties involved are ensured.
This article appeared in the October 2015 edition of the Takoma Park Newsletter. The Takoma Park Newsletter is available for download here.
