(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b) (1) “Advertisement” means a commercial message in any medium that aids, promotes, or assists, directly or indirectly, a rental–purchase agreement.
(2) “Advertisement” does not include in–store merchandising ads.
(c) “Cash price” means the price at which the lessor would have sold rental property covered by a rental–purchase agreement to the consumer unconditionally for cash on the date of consummation.
(d) “Consumer” means an individual who rents personal property under a rental–purchase agreement primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.
(e) “Consummation” means the time at which a consumer enters into a rental–purchase agreement.
(f) “Cost of lease services” means the difference between the final purchase price of rental property and the cash price of rental property.
(g) “Lessor” means a person who regularly provides the use of personal property through rental–purchase agreements to consumers and to whom rental payments are initially payable on the face of a rental–purchase agreement.
(h) “Rental property” means personal property that is the subject of a rental–purchase agreement.
(i) “Rental–purchase agreement” means an agreement that:
(1) Is for the use of personal property by an individual primarily for personal, family, or household purposes;
(2) Is for an initial period of 4 months or less;
(3) Is automatically renewable for a weekly or monthly period with each rental payment after the initial period; and
(4) Allows but does not obligate the consumer to become the owner of the property.
Structure Maryland Statutes
Subtitle 11 - Maryland Rental-Purchase Agreement Act
Section 12-1102 - Effect and Applicability of Subtitle
Section 12-1103 - Disclosures -- in General
Section 12-1104 - Disclosures -- Specific Information; Tags
Section 12-1105 - Prohibited Provisions
Section 12-1106 - Reinstatement; Repossession of Property
Section 12-1106.1 - Maintenance of Copy of Rental-Purchase Agreement
Section 12-1108 - New Rental-Purchase Agreements
Section 12-1109 - Advertisements
Section 12-1110 - Penalties; Exceptions
Section 12-1110.1 - Recovery of Property Subject to Rental-Purchase Agreement
Section 12-1111 - Form for Disclosures