Maryland Legal Aid files lawsuit against Somerset County landlord found to be operating without a license.

SOMERSET COUNTY, Md – Maryland Legal Aid is taking a Somerset County landlord to court, citing instances of retaliation by a landlord against tenants who reported shoddy conditions in rental properties in Princess Anne and Crisfield.

MT Vernon LLC and Eric Sessoms are named by the lawsuit, which says the group operated apartments in Crisfield and Princess Anne with issues including a lack of smoke detectors, broken glass, dead outlets, water leaks, and more.

According to the Maryland Legal Aid Society, Mt Vernon Group and Mr. Sessoms advertised a $2,500 security deposit for each property, but then later increased the security deposit to more than two times the monthly rent, which is illegal.

The Defendants violated the Maryland Consumer Protection Act and the Maryland Fair Debt Collection Act by seeking rent on their unlicensed properties.

Lastly, Mr. Sessoms and Mt Vernon Group retaliated against both tenants by trying to evict them after they complained about the dangerous conditions which they have a right to do.

The lawsuit alleges that when tenants spoke up, Sessoms moved to evict them, even serving a notice to vacate one of the units.

Maryland Legal Aid moved to have the evictions dismissed finding that MT Vernon LLC was operating without a license in both jurisdictions.

The latest lawsuit is now seeking damages for the tenants and fixes in the units.

“The law allows them to recover damages for this landlord’s illegal actions, we would like these tenants and other tenants to have safe, habitable properties, these tenants are enforcing their rights for that, they’re enforcing their rights to pay a legal security deposit,” said Maryland Legal Aid Attorney Jamie Miliman.

Miliman tells us that tenants have multiple options to have the units repaired, including a petition for rent escrow,

Maryland Legal Aid says they know that these are not the only folks impacted by these conditions and are encouraging any other tenants impacted to call them at 410-546-5511, as well as contact their local Code Enforcement office.