Business ProfileforCharlesmont Apartments

Gov. Action
On September 23, 2022, Westminster Management LLC, a New Jersey based company (parent company) entered into a settlement with the Consumer Protection Division of the Maryland Attorney General Office. The action settles allegations that the business Westminster and the property owners violated the Consumer Protection Act by charging tenants illegal fees and by failing to maintain the properties. The properties in question contained more than 9,000 rental units across Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Prince George's County, and the settlement will potentially pay restitution to thousands of current and former residents of the communities.

The settlement, contained in a Final Order entered by the Consumer Protection Division, requires Westminster to return to consumers excessive application fees; improper agent fees, writ fees, and court costs charged in summary ejectment actions; small credit balances that were improperly retained by the company; and security deposit interest that was not paid to vacating tenants. The Attorney General's charges also alleged that Westminster and the property owners failed to adequately maintain their rental properties, subjecting tenants to leaking roofs and ceilings, excessive mold, and rodent infestations, among other things.

To address the charges, the settlement provides for a claims procedure where current and past tenants of properties managed by Westminster can make claims to a special master, who can return rent to consumers if, during their tenancies, they faced serious maintenance issues that impacted their use and enjoyment of their apartments, including leaks or floods; rodent, roach, or bedbug infestations; or a lack of electricity, water, hot water, heat, or air conditioning. The properties covered by this settlement are:
Carriage Hill Apartments
Carroll Park Apartments
Charlesmont Apartment Homes
The Commons at White Marsh Apartments
Cove Village Apartments
Dutch Village Apartments
Essex Park Apartments and Townhomes
Fontana Village Apartments
Gwynn Oaks Landing Apartments
Hamilton Manor Apartments
Harbor Point Estates
Highland Village Townhomes
Morningside Park Townhomes
Pleasantview Apartments
Princeton Estates Apartment Homes
Riverview Townhomes
Whispering Woods Apartments.

Today's settlement also requires Westminster to pay a civil penalty of $3,250,000. Westminster may receive a credit of up to $800,000 against the penalty amount for money it pays to consumers who file claims for shoddy maintenance or who were improperly charged court costs. The total amount of restitution that Westminster must pay, however, must include all the fees it has agreed to return and all allowed maintenance claims. The Division's Final Order also contains injunctive terms that prohibit Westminster and the property owners from charging illegal fees, and requires Westminster and the property owners to employ adequate maintenance staff to respond timely to consumers' maintenance requests; to collect, maintain, and return security deposits consistent with the Maryland Security Deposit Law; and maintain required licenses. Consumers who are entitled to relief under the settlement will receive claims forms on which they can make maintenance-related claims, or will receive payments if they were charged improper fees or are owed other amounts under the settlement.

Attorney General Frosh established the Consumer Protection Division's Housing Unit in 2019 to address landlord-tenant and other housing-related issues. For more information about landlord/tenant rights and responsibilities, consumers can visit www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/Pages/CPD/landlords.aspx. Complaints about housing related issues may be filed on our website, www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov, or consumers may call the Consumer Protection hotline at (410) 528-8662 or toll-free at (888) 743-0023.

For more details, go to:
https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2022/092322.pdf