§ 15.26.060. Failure to register rental dwelling unit or obtain owner license.

A.

1.

Failure of the owner of a rental dwelling unit(s) to renew a rental dwelling unit owner license on or before March of each calendar year, shall cause the owner to be designation as a noncompliant owner and to be assessed a noncompliant rental dwelling unit owner license fee, which shall be set by ordinance for each license renewed on or before July 1 of each calendar year.

2. a.

i. If a rental dwelling unit license is not renewed on or before July 1 of each calendar year, then the rental dwelling unit owner shall be designated a delinquent owner and the owner's rental dwelling unit owner license is revoked.

ii.

If a new owner of a rental dwelling unit(s) fails to complete a license form provided by HCDD and pay a license fee within sixty (60) days of becoming a new owner, then the new owner shall be designated as a delinquent owner.

b.

HCDD shall notify the owner of such designation by mailing a notice addressed to the owner at the owner's mailing address. If applicable, the notice shall inform the owner that the rental dwelling unit owner license is revoked and all rental dwelling units shall be vacated within sixty (60) days. Any security deposit shall be returned to the tenant pursuant to provisions of the Annotated Code of Maryland, Real Property Article, Title 8.

3.

To remove delinquent owner status and to comply with the license requirements of this chapter, a delinquent owner shall pay a delinquent rental dwelling unit owner license fee, which shall be set by ordinance together with the required owner license fee for the current calendar year.

B.

1.

Failure of the owner of a rental dwelling unit(s) to register rental dwelling unit(s) on or before March 1 of each calendar year, shall cause the rental dwelling unit to be designated as a noncompliant rental dwelling unit and shall cause the owner to be assessed a noncompliant rental dwelling unit fee for each rental dwelling unit registered on or before July 1 of each calendar year according to a fee schedule, which shall be set by ordinance:

a.

If the rental dwelling unit is not registered on or before July 1 of each calendar year, then the rental dwelling unit shall be designated as a delinquent rental dwelling unit.

b.

If a new rental dwelling unit is not registered within sixty (60) days of becoming a new rental unit, then the new rental dwelling unit shall be designated as a delinquent rental dwelling unit.

2.

HCDD shall notify the owner of such designation by mailing a notice addressed to the owner at the owner's mailing address. The notice shall inform the owner that the rental dwelling unit is a delinquent rental dwelling unit, and the owner shall vacate any tenant occupying that rental dwelling unit within sixty (60) days. Any security deposit shall be returned to the tenant pursuant to provisions of Annotated Code of Maryland, Real Property Article, Title 8.

3.

To remove delinquent rental dwelling unit status and to comply with the registration requirements of this chapter, the owner of a delinquent rental dwelling unit shall pay a delinquent rental dwelling unit registration fee, which shall be set by ordinance together with the required registration fees for the current year.

C.

All licensing and registration fees set forth herein shall be effective during the calendar year 2011 and thereafter.

D.

If an owner desires to register a delinquent rental dwelling unit, the rental dwelling unit shall be subject to an inside and outside inspection by HCDD. All violations must be corrected before the rental dwelling unit is registered. If the delinquent rental dwelling unit changes ownership to a legal entity which is not owned or controlled by the delinquent owner, and the new owner complies with all provisions of this chapter, the delinquent owner designation then terminates. If the new owner fails to timely register a rental dwelling unit, then the delinquent rental dwelling unit designation shall continue.

E.

If the full amount of any fees due to the city is not paid by a delinquent owner within forty-five (45) days of July 1 of each calendar year after billing, finance shall cause to be recorded in the city records the amount of fees due and owing, and the full amount of any fees due to the city shall be collectible in the same manner as real estate taxes are collected.

(Ord. No. 2163, 7-25-2011; Ord. No. 2456, 10-9-2017 )