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Tenant Abandoned Property Laws in Maryland

In Maryland, the landlord must give the tenant written notice at least 6 days before an eviction is carried out, warning that belongings left inside could be lost, but there is no statewide storage or disposal rule.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Maryland at a glance

Written notice required
Yes, 6 days before eviction
The notice of the eviction date must warn that personal belongings left inside could be lost; local law may set 4 to 14 days.
After the holding period
No statewide rule; local laws vary
The required notice itself states that local laws and practices on disposal of belongings upon eviction vary.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Maryland

Does a landlord in Maryland have to notify the tenant before disposing of left-behind property?

Yes, 6 days before eviction. Written notice required in Maryland: yes, 6 days before eviction. The notice of the eviction date must warn that personal belongings left inside could be lost; local law may set 4 to 14 days.

What can a landlord in Maryland do with abandoned property after the waiting period?

After the holding period in Maryland: No statewide rule; local laws vary. The required notice itself states that local laws and practices on disposal of belongings upon eviction vary.

Where do the Maryland tenant abandoned property laws come from?

The rules above come from Md. Code, Real Prop. 8-407 and Md. Code, Real Prop. 8-401. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

On a warrant of restitution, the officer removes the tenant's goods and chattels from the property to put the landlord in possession.

What this means in practice

Before treating anything as abandoned, confirm that the tenancy has actually ended. Some statutes define when a unit counts as abandoned, and removing property while a tenant still has a right to possession can expose a landlord to claims for wrongful eviction or conversion.

Keep a written record. Photos or a video of the items, a dated inventory, a copy of any notice sent and proof of how it was delivered make it much easier to show that the required steps were followed if the former tenant later asks for the property or its value.

Store items safely and in a reasonable way during any holding period. Where a statute allows the landlord to charge reasonable moving and storage costs, or to keep sale proceeds to cover those costs, the rules on what may be charged and what happens to any surplus vary, so check the exact text for your state.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.