Thanks in advance, any suggestions will help me think this through.
My landlord is an elderly retired estate attny who likes to repair the maintenance issues to the house I am renting (I am in the top 2 floors, his son's law office on the 1st floor) himself even if he isn't the skilled person who should. Back at the end of June he was attempting to replace an old light fixture on the top floor of my portion of the house and something went awry. All of the electricity on the top floor malfunctioned. It took until the first week of September for him to have a real electrician to come and finally take care of it, and that was only after I started complaining in writing. He has a very irritable demeanor and I have had problems communicating with him about past issues. This is not the first encounter which is why this time I started putting things in writing. Before the final repair just this month one of the things I wrote to him was that I thought compensation for the inconveniece was due. He isn't responding to the compensation request and is demanding rent now. I ahve paid my rent on time throughout this issue until now, I was waiting for him to reply to my compensation request, but no reply, just phone message wanting rent. Oh he also has raised the rent the week after he messed up the electricity. When I moved in here I was agreeing to 2 floors, both with electricity. My lease has been month to month for awhile now and I know I need to move since he is not reliable for proper maintenance anyway but shouldn't I be entitled to some kind of compensation? I really wanted to work it out between us, but I really don't think that is going to happen. He has a saying "those with the gold make the rules"--he once told me that was his definition of the golden rule. Guess I should've took a clue and moved then. Any advice welcome. But I think I am going to wind up turning the other cheek and seeking a place , hopefully, with a little more integrity, ugh, and perhaps with more safe standards of repair work.

Actually, I think you are making a huge mistake by withholding rent. Your landlord can have you evicted and the compensation you seek for the downtime on the electric as no more than an inconvenience and you suffered no damages. In fact, you probably saved on your electric bill. You can't really expect to win against your landlord if he's a realty attorney.

Thanks for your post. This will be a wonderful place to seek future legal thoughts should I need them again. It turns out that I don't really need legal advice for this particular instance after all.
Yes, you are right... witholding the rent would be a mistake, I am not witholding it. I was just waiting for a reply to my written request to hopefully make an adjustment on the amount (a lot more time would have to pass for him to have nonpayment grounds for eviction). Was just hopeful thinking. I am not concerned about eviction, I am planning to move and planning to keep my end of the deal, which is always a good idea no matter what the other party stoops to. I have been nothing but a great tenant who has taken great care of his property, so who loses in the end has nothing to do with legalities I realized, he will be very blessed to find another carring tenant in Baltimore, plus there is always that one month worth of money, at least, that it takes to replace the renter. Will only need to pursue him in small claims court should he try to withold my SD without cause, will cross that bridge if it comes.
Since posting I have learned that if the electrical malfunction was still an issue I would simply need to call in inspectors. The burden of proof with inspection issues would've lied on me but would've been clear violation at the time. As for him being an attorney, this does not bother me as he has clearly demonstrated that his focus is on "estate" issues and he does not follow landlord/tenant specific law. But as it turns out, for now, I don't need to pursue this in court, although this was much more than an inconvenience (clear safety and fire code violations, NO electricity on my top floor for 2 months=NO evening work in my office for 2 months). I, since posting, determined that what I need to do is have compassion for this elderly man who has clearly lost some of his faculties and likely has all his life determined to do things his way, right or wrong. I also have come to terms as for his lack of integrity....his version of "the golden rule" probably won't get far past the most important court room gates in the end...
Off to go search for a new home! ;)
thanks, again, though for your thoughts and have a blessed day/night.