Title 14, Title 14

Courts of record within their respective jurisdictions shall have power to declare rights, status and other legal relations whether or not further relief is or could be claimed. No action or proceeding shall be open to objection on the ground that a declaratory judgment or decree…

Any person interested under a deed, will, written contract or other writings constituting a contract, or whose rights, status or other legal relations are affected by a statute, municipal ordinance, contract or franchise may have determined any question of construction or validit…

A contract may be construed either before or after there has been a breach thereof.

Any person interested as or through an executor, administrator, trustee, guardian or other fiduciary, creditor, devisee, legatee, heir, next of kin or cestui que trust in the administration of a trust, or of the estate of a decedent, an infant, a person who is legally incompetent…

The enumeration in sections 5954 to 5956 does not limit or restrict the exercise of the general powers conferred in section 5953 in any proceeding where declaratory relief is sought, in which a judgment or decree will terminate the controversy or remove an uncertainty.

The court may refuse to render or enter a declaratory judgment or decree where such judgment or decree, if rendered or entered, would not terminate the uncertainty or controversy giving rise to the proceeding.

All orders, judgments and decrees under this chapter may be reviewed as other orders, judgments and decrees.

Further relief based on a declaratory judgment or decree may be granted whenever necessary or proper. The application therefor shall be by petition to a court having jurisdiction to grant the relief. If the application be deemed sufficient, the court shall, on reasonable notice, …

When a proceeding under this chapter involves the determination of an issue of fact, such issue may be tried and determined in the same manner as issues of fact are tried and determined in other civil actions in the court in which the proceeding is pending.

In any proceeding under this chapter, the court may make such award of costs as may seem equitable and just.

When declaratory relief is sought, all persons shall be made parties who have or claim any interest which would be affected by the declaration and no declaration shall prejudice the rights of persons not parties to the proceeding. In any proceeding which involves the validity of …

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 2015, c. 293, §1 (NEW).] 1. Domestic violence. "Domestic violence" means conduct described in Title 17‑A, chapters 9, 11, 12 and 13; Title 17‑A, sections 432, …

1. Persons against whom process may be maintained. Process of forcible entry and detainer may be maintained against a disseisor who has not acquired any claim by possession and improvement; against a tenant holding under a written lease or contract or person holding under such a …

Tenancies at will must be terminated by either party by a minimum of 30 days' notice, except as provided in subsections 2 and 4, in writing for that purpose given to the other party, but if the landlord or the landlord's agent has made at least 3 good faith efforts to serve the t…

The District Court shall have jurisdiction of cases of forcible entry and detainer. The court shall schedule and hold the hearing as soon as practicable, but no later than 10 days after the return day except that the court may grant a continuance for good cause shown. Any defenda…

1. Summons and complaint; service. The process of forcible entry and detainer must be commenced and service made in the same manner as other civil actions, except that if at least 3 good faith efforts on 3 different days have been made to serve the defendant, service may be accom…

The court may, in any residential tenancy under this subchapter, at any time refer the parties to mediation on any issue. [PL 2007, c. 246, §2 (NEW); PL 2007, c. 246, §6 (AFF).] 1. Mediated agreement. An agreement reached by the parties through mediation must be reduced to writin…

When the defendant is defaulted or fails to show sufficient cause, judgment must be rendered against the defendant by the District Court for possession of the premises. Seven calendar days after the judgment is entered, the court shall issue the writ of possession to remove the d…

1. Right to appeal. Either party may appeal on questions of law from a judgment to the Superior Court as in other civil actions. Either party may appeal on any issue triable by right by a jury to a trial de novo in the Superior Court as provided in this section. The time for fili…

Sums due for rent on leases under seal or otherwise and claims for damages to premises rented may be recovered in an action, specifying the items and amount claimed, but no action shall be maintained for any sum or sums claimed to be due for rental or for any claim for damages fo…

1. Scope of section. If a tenant unjustifiably moves from the premises prior to the effective date for termination of the tenant's tenancy and defaults in payment of rent, or if the tenant is removed for failure to pay rent or any other breach of a lease or tenancy at will agreem…

When the tenant of a dwelling house is convicted of keeping it as a house of ill fame, the lease or contract by which he occupies it may, at the option of the landlord, be deemed void and the landlord shall have the same remedy to recover possession as against a tenant holding ov…

Any personal property that remains in a rental unit after entry of judgment in favor of the landlord or that is abandoned or unclaimed by a tenant following the tenant's vacating the rental unit must be disposed of as follows. [PL 2011, c. 405, §4 (AMD).] 1. Place in storage. The…

1. Illegal evictions. Except as permitted by Title 15, chapter 517 or Title 17, chapter 91, evictions that are effected without resort to the provisions of this chapter are illegal and against public policy. Illegal evictions include, but are not limited to, the following. A. No …

1. Increase of rent or mandatory recurring fees generally. Except as provided in subsection 2, rent or mandatory recurring fees charged for residential estates may be increased by the landlord only after providing at least 45 days' written notice to the tenant. A written or oral …

Rent charged for residential estates may not be increased if the dwelling unit is in violation of the warranty of habitability. Any violation caused by the tenant, his family, guests or invitees shall not bar a rent increase. A written or oral waiver of this requirement is agains…

A landlord or a landlord's agent may not subject a tenant to sexual harassment. [PL 2019, c. 351, §4 (NEW).] Nothing in this subchapter limits the application of the Maine Human Rights Act.

1. Definitions. As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. A. A "commercial tenancy" or "commercial lease" means a nonresidential tenancy of premises by a for-profit business entity. Nonprofit entities, cha…

1. Definition. As used in this section, the term "dwelling unit" shall include mobile homes, apartments, buildings or other structures, including the common areas thereof, which are rented for human habitation. 2. Implied warranty of fitness for human habitation. In any written o…

1. Definition. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, "pest control agent" means a commercial applicator of pesticides certified pursuant to Title 22, section 1471‑D. 2. Landlord duties. A landlord has the following duties. A. Upon written or oral notice…

1. Rent receipts required. A landlord or his agent shall provide a written receipt, as required in subsection 2, for each rental payment and each security deposit payment received partially or fully in cash from any tenant. This receipt shall be delivered to the tenant at the tim…

1. Limit on amount required to initiate tenancy. Upon entering a lease or tenancy at will agreement, a landlord, landlord's agent or real estate broker may not require a tenant to pay an initial amount of money in excess of the total of the rent for the first full month of occupa…

Any person authorized to enter into a residential lease or tenancy at will agreement on behalf of the owner or owners of the premises is deemed to be the owner's agent for purposes of service of process and receiving and receipting for notices and demands.

A landlord may not enter into a lease or tenancy at will agreement for a dwelling unit in a multi-unit residential building where the expense of furnishing heat or electricity or any other utility to the common areas or other area not within the unit is the sole responsibility of…

1. Deduct from rent. If a landlord fails to pay for utility service in the name of the landlord, the tenant, in accordance with Title 35‑A, section 706, may pay for the utility service and deduct the amount paid from the rent due to the landlord. 2. Award damages. In addition to …

1. Tenant obligations. A tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to the landlord to enter into the dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services or exhibit the d…

A landlord may require a tenant to provide information about any animal present in a rental unit and also require the name and contact information of one or more persons the tenant authorizes to enter the rental unit to retrieve the animal if the tenant has vacated the premises a…

1. Prohibition of dangerous conditions. A landlord who enters into a lease or tenancy at will agreement renting premises for human habitation may not maintain or permit to exist on those premises any condition that endangers or materially impairs the health or safety of the tenan…

In accordance with the procedures provided in this section, the municipal officers of any town or city or their designee may provide for basic necessities and any repair activities to ensure the continued habitability of any premises leased for human habitation. For the purposes …

A landlord may assess a penalty against a residential tenant for late payment of rent for a residential dwelling unit according to this section. [PL 1987, c. 605 (AMD).] 1. Late payment. A payment of rent is late if it is not made within 15 days from the time the payment is due. …

1. Illegal waiver of rights. It is an unfair and deceptive trade practice in violation of Title 5, section 207 for a landlord to require a tenant to enter into a lease or tenancy at will agreement for a dwelling unit, as defined in section 6021, in which the tenant agrees to a pr…

1. Commencing action. A landlord may file a petition against a tenant, a guest or invitee of a tenant or the owner of a dangerous pet on the premises for the protection of rental property or tenants when the landlord, the landlord's employee or agent, the landlord's rental proper…

1. Environmental lead hazard disclosure. 2. Application. 3. Notification of repairs. A landlord or other person who on behalf of a landlord enters into a lease or tenancy at will agreement for residential property who undertakes, or who engages someone else to undertake, any repa…

1. Energy efficiency disclosure. A prospective tenant who will be paying utility costs has the right to obtain from an energy supplier for the unit offered for rental the amount of consumption and the cost of that consumption for the prior 12-month period. A landlord or other per…

1. Testing. By March 1, 2014, and, unless a mitigation system has been installed in that residential building, every 10 years thereafter when requested by a tenant, a landlord or other person who on behalf of a landlord enters into a lease or tenancy at will agreement for a resid…