670

LAWS OF MARYLAND.

Chapter 5O3.

AN ACT to add additional sections to article fifty-

three of the Code of Public General Laws, entitled

" Landlord and Tenant," (to follow section twenty-

two, added by' act eighteen hundred and thirty-

eight, chapter two hundred and ninety-two,) regu-

lating actions for recovery of rents and securing

renewals.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted ly the General Assembly

of Maryland, That the following sections be added

to article fifty-three of the Code of Public General

Laws of the State of Maryland, entitled " Landlord

Sections added.

and Tenant," to follow section twenty-two, added to

said article by the acts of the General Assembly of

Maryland, passed at its January session, eighteen hun-

dred and sixty-eight, chapter two hundred ninety-two.

SEC. 23. All actions, whether of debt, ejectment or

Actions of debt.

of any other description whatsoever, hereafter brought

&c.

to recover rent in arrear reserved under any form of

lease, whether for ninety-nine years, renewable for-

ever, or for a greater or lesser period, and all dis-

traints hereafter issued to recover such rent shall be

When com-
menced.

commenced, sued or issued within three years from

the time the rent in arrears shall or may have accrued.

SEC. 24. Whenever the lessee named in a lease or

the assignee of a lease shall or may hereafter apply to

his landlord for a renewal of the lease under covenant

contained in it giving him the right to demand and

have such renewal, the landlord shall, in case the ten-

ant cannot produce vouchers or satisfactory evidence

Recover back

showing the payment of the rent accrued for three

rent.

years next preceding his demand and application, be

entitled to demand and recover three years' back rent,

and no more, (in addition to any renewal fine that

may be provided for in the lease,) before executing or

causing to be executed such renewed lease, and the

tenant may plead this act in bar of the recovery of any

larger or greater amount of rent.

SEC. 25. Whenever there has been no demand or

Rent extin-

payment for more than twenty consecutive years of

guished.

any specific rent reserved out of a particular lot, or

any part of a particular lot, under any form of lease,