Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today announced that his Consumer Protection Division (CPD) has reached a settlement with 786 Property Management, Inc. t/a Real Property Management Capital (RPMC) and its owner, Suleman Hooda. RPMC is a Rockville-based property manager that the Office of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division alleged was charging tenants illegal fees, was failing to properly maintain and return tenants’ security deposits, and was acting as an unlicensed debt collector. The company and its owner have signed an Assurance of Discontinuance agreeing to stop the practices the Office of the Attorney General alleged were illegal and to pay restitution and a penalty.
“When you are working hard to pay rent and put a roof over your head, every dollar matters.” said Attorney General Brown. “Marylanders need to know that my Consumer Protection Division is here to protect them and their hard-earned dollars, so I am very pleased that the money that was collected as fees and interest will be returned. Landlords must follow the laws put in place to protect tenants, especially those laws that limit the fees tenants can be charged.” Under today’s settlement, RPMC and Mr. Hooda have also agreed to an injunction that requires both to follow Maryland’s landlord and tenant and debt collection licensing laws. They also agreed to pay a penalty of $50,000, which will increase to $250,000 if they violate the agreement.
