Maine Month-to-Month Lease Agreement
A Maine month-to-month lease agreement can be verbal or written. However, written agreements must include specific legal terms. While oral contracts also need to satisfy these conditions, it’s crucial to correctly write them down when you’re making a written contract.
Legal Aspects of Month-to-Month Leases in Maine
Maine month-to-month lease agreement template outlines the terms and conditions for a month-to-month lease, ensuring adherence to Maine state regulations and providing a legally sound framework for both the landlord and tenant to comprehend their rights and responsibilities during the month-to-month tenancy.
Lease Termination & Renewal
- The landlord and tenant can end a month-to-month lease with a 30-day notice period.
- Any reason that doesn’t come down to landlord retaliation can be grounds for a notice to quit.
- This lease renews automatically each month. It continues indefinitely until either party sends a 30-day notice to quit.
Rent Increases
- The standard notice when the landlord increases the rent is a 45-day notice period.
- Should the landlord raise the rent by more than 10%, they must give a 75-day notice.
- Local governments can establish rent control laws, but no state-wide rent control laws exist.
- The lessors can raise the rent as much as they want, provided they satisfy the notice period requirements.
- However, it can differ depending on the local government’s laws. For example, in Portland, Maine, landlords can only increase the rent once every 12 months.
Security Deposit
- Lessors can charge a security deposit equal to two (2) months’ rent at maximum.
- If they lease a mobile home park, then they can ask for up to three (3) months’ rent as a security deposit.
- Tenants with pets can be subject to an additional pet deposit.
- The lessor can give lessees the option to purchase a surety bond. They don’t need to pay a security deposit if they buy a surety bond.
- Lessors must hold the deposit in an account created specifically for it, as it cannot co-mingle with other funds.
- Landlords must return the security deposits and a statement of deductions within 30 days.
Tenant Rights
- Tenants have a right to request repairs for any damages that make the rental unit less habitable.
- They’re entitled to the landlord completing the repairs within 14 days of making the request.
- Lessees are entitled to their privacy. Landlords must provide reasonable notice, generally 24 to 48 hours, before entering the premises and during standard business hours.
Required Disclosures
Maine has various disclosures that landlords must add to this contract. It’s one of the states with the most disclosures for residential agreements, so familiarize yourself with the different ones. Without the following disclosures, a court of law might deem this lease invalid:
- Bedbugs
- Energy Efficiency Disclosure
- Radon Disclosure Form
- Lead-Based Paint Disclosure
- Smoking Policy
- Security Deposit Location
- Rental Housing Rights Portland
- Common Area Utility
- Late or Returned Check Fee