Landlord and Tenant - Tenant Repair and Maintenance Complaint Hotline - Establishment

HB 1177 requires Maryland's Attorney General to establish a toll-free hotline for tenants to report repair and maintenance issues in residential properties (including those owned by federal, state, or local governments), with anonymous reporting allowed. The Attorney General's office can refer tenants to legal aid, report violations to local authorities, or take legal action against landlords for violations. The bill mandates annual reports to legislative committees starting in 2026, tracking complaint volumes, geographic/demographic breakdowns, resolution times, and patterns like repeated complaints against specific landlords. It directly affects renters facing housing maintenance problems across Maryland, aiming to streamline complaint resolution. The hotline will launch October 1, 2025.