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Landlord Retaliation Laws in Maine

Maine presumes an eviction is retaliatory if it is filed within 6 months after a tenant asserted certain statutory rights, complained about code violations, made a written repair request or took other listed protected acts.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Maine at a glance

Retaliation banned by statute
Yes, as an eviction defense
The statute applies to forcible entry and detainer (eviction) actions.
Presumption period
6 months
The presumption does not apply to evictions for reasons in 14 M.R.S. 6002(1) or lease violations, unless the tenant asserted a right under section 6026.
Protected tenant actions
Code complaints, repair requests, fair housing complaints
Presumption covers asserting rights under sections 6015, 6016, 6021, 6030-D, 6030-I or 6030-J, code complaints, written repair requests, fair housing complaints, domestic violence notice and sexual harassment reports.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Maine

Does Maine law prohibit landlord retaliation against tenants?

Yes, as an eviction defense. Retaliation banned by statute in Maine: yes, as an eviction defense. The statute applies to forcible entry and detainer (eviction) actions.

How long after a tenant complaint is retaliation presumed in Maine?

Presumption period in Maine: 6 months. The presumption does not apply to evictions for reasons in 14 M.R.S. 6002(1) or lease violations, unless the tenant asserted a right under section 6026.

Which tenant actions are protected from retaliation in Maine?

Protected tenant actions in Maine: Code complaints, repair requests, fair housing complaints. Presumption covers asserting rights under sections 6015, 6016, 6021, 6030-D, 6030-I or 6030-J, code complaints, written repair requests, fair housing complaints, domestic violence notice and sexual harassment reports.

Where do the Maine landlord retaliation laws come from?

The rules above come from 14 M.R.S. 6001(3) and 14 M.R.S. 6001(4). Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

A writ of possession may not issue unless the landlord rebuts the presumption. Separately, no writ may issue if the tenant proves the eviction was retaliation for membership in a landlord-tenant organization (14 M.R.S. 6001(4)).

Subsection 3 was last amended by PL 2023, c. 594.

What this means in practice

Keep a written record of every complaint, repair request and report to a government agency, with dates. A presumption period usually runs from the date of the protected action, so proof of that date can matter.

Retaliation protection does not usually excuse unpaid rent or lease violations. Statutes commonly allow a landlord to raise rent, end a tenancy or evict for a good-faith reason, such as nonpayment, damage to the unit or a rent increase applied to all tenants.

If a rent increase, service cut or eviction notice follows a complaint, read the statute for your state and any local ordinance. Cities and counties may add protections, and a local legal aid office or tenant union can explain how they apply.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.