An Act To Increase Notification Time Periods for Rent Increases and Terminations of Tenancies at Will
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0308
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: KESSLER, BROOKS, CARNEY, GRAMLICH, HANDY, MAXMIN, RYKERSON, SYLVESTER
Amends: 14 MRSA §6002, 14 MRSA §6015

Legislative Document
No. 308
H.P. 232
House of Representatives, January 22, 2019
An Act To Increase Notification Time Periods for Rent Increases 
and Terminations of Tenancies at Will
Reference to the Committee on Labor and Housing suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative KESSLER of South Portland.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BROOKS of Lewiston, CARNEY of Cape Elizabeth, 
GRAMLICH of Old Orchard Beach, HANDY of Lewiston, MAXMIN of Nobleboro, 
RYKERSON of Kittery, SYLVESTER of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  14 MRSA §6002, first ¶, as amended by PL 2015, c. 293, §6, is further 
amended to read:
Tenancies at will must be terminated by either party by a minimum of 30 60 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 tenant, that service may be accomplished by both mailing the notice 
by first class mail to the tenant's last known address and by leaving the notice at the 
tenant's last and usual place of abode.  In cases when the tenant has paid rent through the 
date when a 30-day 60-day notice would expire, the notice must expire on or after the 
date through which the rent has been paid.  Either party may waive in writing the 30 60 
days' notice at the time the notice is given, and at no other time prior to the giving of the 
notice.  A termination based on a 30-day 60-day notice is not affected by the receipt of 
money, whether previously owed or for current use and occupation, until the date a writ 
of possession is issued against the tenant during the period of actual occupancy after 
receipt of the notice.  When the tenancy is terminated, the tenant is liable to the process of 
forcible entry and detainer without further notice and without proof of any relation of 
landlord and tenant unless the tenant has paid, after service of the notice, rent that accrued 
after the termination of the tenancy.  These provisions apply to tenancies of buildings 
erected on land of another party.  Termination of the tenancy is deemed to occur at the 
expiration of the time fixed in the notice. A 30-day 60-day notice under this paragraph 
and a 7-day notice under subsection 2 may be combined in one notice to the tenant.
Sec. 2.  14 MRSA §6015, as amended by PL 2003, c. 259, §1, is further amended 
to read:
§6015.  Notice of rent increase
Rent charged for residential estates may be increased by the lessor only after 
providing at least 45 75 days' written notice to the tenant.  A written or oral waiver of this 
requirement is against public policy and is void.  Any person in violation of this section is 
liable for the return of any sums unlawfully obtained from the lessee, with interest, and 
reasonable attorney's fees and costs.
SUMMARY
This bill increases from 30 to 60 days the notice that a party must provide to 
terminate a tenancy at will.  It also increases from 45 to 75 days the notice that a landlord 
must provide to increase the rent of a residential tenant.