2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 36: TAXATION › Part 2: PROPERTY TAXES › Chapter 105: CITIES AND TOWNS › Subchapter 9: DELINQUENT TAXES › Article 5: SALE OF REAL ESTATE › 36 §1076. Purchaser to notify mortgagee of sale; right of redemption

§1076. Purchaser to notify mortgagee of sale; right of redemption
When real estate is so sold for taxes, the tax collector shall, within 30 days after the day of sale, lodge with the municipal treasurer a certificate under oath, designating the quantity of real estate sold, the names of the owners of each parcel and the names of the purchasers; what part of the amount of each was tax and what was cost and charges; also a deed of each parcel sold, running to the purchasers. The treasurer shall not at that time deliver the deeds to the grantees, but put them on file in his office, to be delivered at the expiration of 2 years from the day of sale, and the treasurer shall after the expiration of 2 years deliver said deed to the grantee or his heirs, provided the owner, the mortgagee or any person in possession or other person legally taxable therefor does not within such time redeem the estate from such sale, by payment or tender of the taxes, all the charges and interest on the whole at the rate of 8% a year from the date of sale to the time of redemption, and costs as provided, with 67¢ for the deed and certificate of acknowledgment.
If there is an undischarged mortgage duly recorded on the real estate sold for taxes, the purchaser at such sale shall notify the holder of record of each such mortgage within 60 days from the date of said sale, by sending a notice in writing by registered letter addressed to the record holder of such mortgage at the residence of such holder as given in the registry of deeds in the county where said real estate is situated, stating that he has purchased the estate at a tax sale on such date and request the mortgagee to redeem the same. If such notice is not given, the holder of record of any mortgage, which mortgage was on record in the registry of deeds at the time of said sale, may redeem the real estate sold at any time within 3 months after receiving actual notice of such sale, by the payment or tender of the amounts, interest and costs as specified, and the registry fee for recording and discharging the deed, if the deed has been recorded, and the deed shall be discharged by the grantee therein, or the owner under the tax deed at the time of redemption, in manner provided for the discharge of mortgages of real estate.
If any owner of real estate which is assessed to any former owner who was not the owner on April 1st of the taxable year as assessed, or to owners unknown, does not have actual notice of the sale of his real estate for taxes within said 2 years, he may, at any time within 3 months after he has had actual notice, redeem the real estate sold from such sale although the deed may have been recorded, by payment or tender of the amounts, interest and costs as specified and the registry fee for recording and discharging the deed, in case the deed has been recorded, and the deed shall be discharged by the grantee therein, or the owner under the tax deed at the time of redemption, in manner provided for the discharge of mortgages on real estate.
If the real estate is redeemed before the deed is delivered, the municipal treasurer shall give the owner, mortgagee or party to whom the real estate is assessed or other person legally taxable therefor a certificate thereof, cancel the deed and pay to the grantee on demand the amount so received from him. If the amounts, interest and costs specified are not paid to the treasurer within the time as specified, he shall deliver to the grantee his deed upon the payment of the fees for the deed and acknowledgment and 30¢ more for receiving and paying out the proceeds of the sale, but all tax deeds of real estate upon which there is an undischarged mortgage duly recorded shall carry no title except subject to such mortgage, unless the purchaser at such tax sale gives to the record holder of the mortgage, notice as provided. For the fidelity of the treasurer in discharging his duties required, the municipality is responsible, and has a remedy on his bond in case of default.