Realtors Group Settles Service-Animal Fee Case

The Maryland Association of Realtors agreed to revise a model lease and pay $50,000 after a state civil rights investigation.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Apartments

Realtors Group Settles Service-Animal Fee Case

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Maryland's Attorney General's Civil Rights Division reached a settlement with the Maryland Association of Realtors over lease provisions requiring tenants with service animals to pay certain cleaning and pest-treatment charges. The association will revise its General Model Residential Dwelling Lease and pay a total of $50,000.

Why it matters

The settlement addresses charges that applied regardless of whether the work was needed, which affects how tenants with service animals are billed across the state's rental market. Because the agreement concerns a model document, it signals how widely used lease templates can be scrutinized for disability-related terms.

The settlement sets a $20,000 civil penalty and directs $30,000 toward housing services and tenant education, including $20,000 for Maryland's Centers for Independent Living and $10,000 for Economic Action Maryland. The announcement does not specify how the $30,000 will be divided among the centers.

The players

Maryland Association of Realtors

The statewide trade group of real estate professionals whose standard residential lease template was the subject of the civil rights investigation and settlement.

Maryland Attorney General's Civil Rights Division

The state office that investigated the lease provisions and negotiated the settlement, enforcing state protections against housing discrimination.

The details

The Civil Rights Division investigated lease language requiring tenants with service animals to pay de-ticking, de-fleaing, and carpet cleaning charges. After being notified of the potentially discriminatory provisions, the association took corrective action and agreed to revise the lease language.

Oct. 29, 2026: Attorney General announced the settlement agreement with the Maryland Association of Realtors.

Legal Context

The case applies the Fair Housing Act's reasonable-accommodation protections for assistance animals to a standardized lease template rather than to a single landlord's practice. It shows state regulators scrutinizing the model documents that shape many rental agreements.

Tenants with service animals in Maryland may be relieved of pet-related cleaning and pest-treatment charges that applied regardless of need, depending on the revised lease. Renters should check their own lease for similar fee language before signing.

The takeaway

Renters with service animals should confirm that any cleaning or pest-treatment fees in their lease reflect work actually performed. Reviewing lease language before signing can help avoid unexpected charges.