EXTERIOR MAINTENANCE

Storage receptacles Required. Trash, garbage, or debris may not be stored or placed out for collection except in approved storage receptacles.

The Owner's Responsibility
The owner or operator of every occupied premises must arrange for a sufficient number of these storage receptacles to receive and store trash, garbage, and debris from individual units between days of collection. The receptacles must be maintained in a location accessible to occupants.

Every Owner of a building containing two (2) or more dwelling units must maintain all lots and exterior premises, including abutting sidewalks, gutters, and alleys, in a clean, safe and sanitary condition.

The Occupant's Responsibility
The Occupant of a single-unit building and an Occupant of a unit with exclusive use of an exterior property area (i.e. a tenant in a first floor apartment with sole use of the backyard yard) must maintain all lots and exterior premises, including abutting sidewalks, gutters, and alleys in a clean, safe and sanitary condition.

While all responsibilities are noted in the Property Maintenance Code of Baltimore City here are several examples

Keep grass, weeds or plant growth below 8 inches and remove all noxious weeds.

Prune or remove all trees and shrubbery if they are: 1) dangerous to life and property; 2) create a fire or traffic hazard; 3) encroach on adjacent property.

Prohibit the accumulation of trash, debris, and bulk trash, including the following discarded items:

• Animal waste
• Furniture
• Equipment
• Appliances
• Construction Material
• Similar Objects & Materials

Please keep in mind the following when discarding trash, garbage, and debris:

• Receptacles cannot be placed out for collection on a sidewalk or along an alley earlier than the day of collection.
• Receptacles must be returned promptly to the premises after collections
• If discarded or abandoned articles are too large for disposal in the required receptacles, they must be transported to a landfill or approved disposal site.

RAT PROOFING AND PEST EXTERMINATION

The Owner's responsibility
The Owner is responsible for rat proofing the building and maintaining the ratproof condition. Rat proofing methods include: 1) preventing entrance by blocking passages with rat-resistant material; and 2) paving basements and any other areas that are in contact with the soil.

The Occupant's Responsibility
An Occupant of a single-unit building is responsible for extermination of insects, rodents, or other pests, other than wood destroying insects.

An Occupant of a multiple-family dwelling is responsible for extermination if the Occupant's unit is the only one affected.

INTERIOR MAINTENANCE

The Owner's Responsibility
The Owner must maintain shared, common or public areas within each building that contains more than one unit. However, the Owner is responsible for repairing or replacing defective and damaged items in all the units.

The Occupant's Responsibility
The Occupant must keep in a clean and sanitary condition their unit and any other of areas that they occupy or control. Keep in mind that the Owner may hold an Occupant accountable for damaging interior property due to negligence.

Areas for Interior Maintenance
While all responsibilities are noted in the Property Maintenance Code of Baltimore City here are several areas for maintenance of interior areas:

Floors, Furniture, Countertops and similar surfaces must be clean and free of trash, garbage, and debris, including human and animal waste and any other insanitary matter or cause of nuisance.

Walls, Ceilings, Windows, and Doorways must be clean and free of dirt, grease, soot and any other insanitary matter or cause or nuisance.

Plumbing fixtures must be kept clean and free from any foreign object or material that could obstruct a fixture or a line connected to a fixture.