Considering Quitting from Baltimore

[Robert Carl]

I statred where I could afford. Which was in SFR's in a C neighborhood. After the school of hard knocks finally have a handle on tenants. My biggest problem the last 2yrs has been Baltimore City government.

 In Baltimore city you have to deal with the city in the following ways.

1. Real Estate Taxes-The tax rate is the highest in Maryland almost double Baltimore County

2. Water bill highest in the state

     -Has increased the past 2 yrs. Minimum Amt. is $136 every 3 months supposed to               increase the next two years

3. Baltimore Housing- Do not inform you of all the fees and registrations you need unless         you know exactly what to ask. Basically can change without notice.

4. Landlord/Tenant laws are some of the worst in the country. 

   -Takes 2 months to evict

   -Tenants can say property needs repair without evidence or paying rent owed. Which           delays eviction process until city inpector inspects the property on avg. delays 6wks.

Was fined $500 for not registering one of my properties. The properties are already registered and must be paid for yearly. A bill is mailed yearly with penalties and fees stated at the bottom for late payment. The payment is due on Sept.1st. No $500 fine is mentioned for late payment. Inspector told me the powers that be decided to put this fine in effect and immediatley fine.  I have paid my fees late according to the late schedule at the bottom of the bill before. 

Trying to do right. No good deed go unpunished. Considering quitting. Sacarficed alot of time and work for a tiny reward. Not equal to the work.

[Nicole A.]

I invest in the county, which has slightly better eviction laws. But I battle with the water too.

I got a high bill and needed to replace the supply line. Did that and then had an "informal hearing" to have my bill credited back $300.

A couple of quarters later, I get another super high bill that was even higher than when my supply line was leaking. I had a plumber check everything and all is fine. He put on there that a toilet was leaking just so the water people can't say that it must have been usage. Although, we all know a leaking toilet wouldn't cause this bill.

Anyway, find that I have to wait a year from my last hearing to be able to schedule another hearing! After talking to several people there, one lady says just keep the balance no higher than $250 and the water won't get shut off. So I just pay the new regular amounts and leave that high balance there.

Next, no one tells you that after you get your water bill adjusted that you should also forward this information to the tax assessment people or you will have a super high sewer service fee on your property taxes! That took almost 6 months to get refunded.

@Robert Carl, was there no way you could fight/appeal that $500 fine? I once got a $250 fine for "harboring rats" and if I had sent in a picture of rat poison and the rat hole in the backyard filled in, they would have canceled it. But I didn't send that in time and had to go to the hearing, which was similar to court. My fine was reduced, so waiting cost me. I laugh at the fact that a picture of a filled hole and rat poison counts as doing something.