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<section article="grp" article_name="Real Property" number="8-5A-05" title_number="8" title_name="Landlord and Tenant" subtitle_number="5A" subtitle_name="Rental Housing -- Victims of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A person who is a victim of abuse and who is a tenant under a residential lease may provide to the landlord a written request to change the locks of the leased premises if the protective order or peace order issued for the benefit of the tenant or legal occupant requires the respondent to refrain from entering or to vacate the residence of the tenant or legal occupant.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The written request provided under subsection (a) of this section shall include:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>A copy of a protective order issued for the benefit of the tenant or legal occupant under § 4–506 of the Family Law Article; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A copy of a peace order issued for the benefit of the tenant or legal occupant under § 3–1505 of the Courts Article for which the underlying act was an act of abuse.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The landlord shall change the locks on the leased premises by the close of the next business day after receiving a written request under subsection (a) of this section.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If the landlord fails to change the locks as required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the tenant:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>May have the locks changed by a certified locksmith on the leased premises without permission from the landlord; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Shall give a duplicate key to the landlord or the landlord’s agent by the close of the next business day after the lock change.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If a landlord changes the locks on a tenant’s leased premises under subsection (c) of this section, the landlord:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Shall provide a copy of the new key to the tenant who made the request for the change of locks at a mutually agreed time not to exceed 48 hours following the lock change; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>May charge a fee to the tenant not exceeding the reasonable cost of changing the locks.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>If a landlord charges a fee to the tenant for changing the locks on a tenant’s leased premises under subsection (d) of this section, the tenant shall pay the fee within 45 days of the date the locks are changed.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>If a tenant does not pay a fee as required under paragraph (1) of this subsection, the landlord may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Charge the fee as additional rent; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Withhold the amount of the fee from the tenant’s security deposit.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
