Wrongful Detainer Attorney in Baltimore – Dealing with a Squatter & Bad Legal Advice

[Chad Huffer]

Hey BiggerPockets community,

I’m looking for a strong real estate attorney in Baltimore, MD who knows how to handle wrongful detainer actions for an LLC-owned property. We have a squatter problem that has been ongoing for several years, and so far, the attorneys we’ve spoken to have not been helpful.

Situation:

• We own a property at in Baltimore, MD through our LLC.
• A squatter moved in without permission, never had a lease, and has lived there rent-free for some time now.
• The person has utility service (cable, internet, etc.) in their name, but we never signed a lease or gave them any legal right to occupy the property.
• We have been trying to file a wrongful detainer action to legally remove them but need an attorney who understands this process (should be simple, yet we keep getting bad advice).

The Bad Advice We’ve Received So Far:

• Some attorneys suggested treating them as a holdover tenant (even though they were never a tenant).
• Others seemed to take the squatter’s side instead of focusing on representing the property owner’s rights.
• One attorney even suggested going through a formal tenant eviction process, which would wrongfully grant them tenant rights and delay removal.

We know that wrongful detainer (not eviction) is the correct legal path since this person never had a lease, never paid rent, and has no legal claim to the property.

What We Need:

We’re looking for a landlord-friendly attorney who:
✔ Understands wrongful detainer cases in Baltimore
✔ Will move efficiently to file the case and get a sheriff-assisted removal ASAP
✔ Understands the difference between a squatter and a tenant and won’t advise us to "treat them like a holdover tenant"

Does anyone have recommendations for a Baltimore-based attorney who actually fights for property owners?

We appreciate any referrals or insights. Thanks in advance!

[James Wise]

Quote from @Chad Huffer:

Hey BiggerPockets community,

I’m looking for a strong real estate attorney in Baltimore, MD who knows how to handle wrongful detainer actions for an LLC-owned property. We have a squatter problem that has been ongoing for several years, and so far, the attorneys we’ve spoken to have not been helpful.

Situation:

• We own a property at in Baltimore, MD through our LLC.
• A squatter moved in without permission, never had a lease, and has lived there rent-free for some time now.
• The person has utility service (cable, internet, etc.) in their name, but we never signed a lease or gave them any legal right to occupy the property.
• We have been trying to file a wrongful detainer action to legally remove them but need an attorney who understands this process (should be simple, yet we keep getting bad advice).

The Bad Advice We’ve Received So Far:

• Some attorneys suggested treating them as a holdover tenant (even though they were never a tenant).
• Others seemed to take the squatter’s side instead of focusing on representing the property owner’s rights.
• One attorney even suggested going through a formal tenant eviction process, which would wrongfully grant them tenant rights and delay removal.

We know that wrongful detainer (not eviction) is the correct legal path since this person never had a lease, never paid rent, and has no legal claim to the property.

What We Need:

We’re looking for a landlord-friendly attorney who:
✔ Understands wrongful detainer cases in Baltimore
✔ Will move efficiently to file the case and get a sheriff-assisted removal ASAP
✔ Understands the difference between a squatter and a tenant and won’t advise us to "treat them like a holdover tenant"

Does anyone have recommendations for a Baltimore-based attorney who actually fights for property owners?

We appreciate any referrals or insights. Thanks in advance!

 You just need to do a normal eviction. This isn't rocket science man. Normal stuff. Evict the tenant / squatter and move on.