Maryland Bill to Ban RUBS Heavily Amended

Amendments backed by AOBA have been adopted by a key House committee that will change a bill that would have banned RUBS charges for water and sewer usage into a measure to provide tenants information on RUBS.

HB 545 would have prohibited a rental housing provider, on or after Jan. 1, 2017, from using a RUBS system to charge a tenant for the cost of water or sewage service, and provided significant fines for violations.

As amended by the House Environment & Transportation Committee, the bill will:

· Require a landlord to disclose to a prospective tenant, before signing a lease, the method used to charge tenants for the cost of utilities;

· If a landlord uses RUBS, require the landlord, on written request, to provide a tenant with information to document a water or sewer bill;

· Allow a landlord to recover payment of an arrearage due for water or sewer as rent; and

· Be effective Oct. 1, 2016