Landlord-Tenant Law in Maine

Are you looking to start out in the residential or commercial rental and property management business?  Or are you operating a growing rental business and looking to bring it to the next level of professionalism?  Having issues with your tenants and unsure of the next steps? Whatever the case might be, you have certainly come to the right place.

Weinstein, Lovell & Ordway, P.A. houses a team of practical-minded landlord-tenant attorneys who can help you solve your rental problems and establish a strong landlord-tenant relationship that protects your investment and interests. 

We work with both large management companies and individuals with small rental operations, offering guidance for property owners on all aspects of the property rental business: lease agreements, security deposits, evictions, and more.

Key Topics in Maine Landlord-Tenant Law

Operating as a commercial or residential property owner or manager brings you into contact with a number of Maine laws and involves important legal agreements.  With so much at stake for owners and tenants, it is also inevitable that issues will arise from time to time.  To successfully navigate your way around any challenges that may arise, it’s helpful to have an experienced hand to help you navigate Maine’s landlord-tenant laws.  Our attorneys work with many local property owners of all types, and in some cases have experience working as property owners and managers themselves. We’ve seen the many issues that can arise and can help you navigate them with practical solutions and within your rights. 

As the age-old saying goes, knowledge is power. And that is particularly true when it comes to legal matters in rented properties.

Below, we have listed down some of the vital legal services that our attorneys help property owners with all of the time. 

Lease Preparation and Negotiation

A detailed and accurate lease agreement can help landlords protect their rental properties and avoid tenancy troubles down the road by setting clear rules and standards in advance.  Our attorneys help property owners and managers both large and small draft leases that make sense for their specific situation and avoid the common pitfalls that can so often result from a sloppy or hastily prepared lease.   We can also help with a review of your existing lease, or create a strong form lease that can help you streamline your growing rental operation.  

Commercial and Residential Tenancy laws

The laws relating to commercial and residential property rentals in Maine differ in a number of important ways.  Our attorneys work with both commercial and residential landlords to help ensure that their leases and operations reflect the correct standards and industry practice.  Understanding your rights and responsibilities in advance can help you plan your operations and legal agreements to put you in the best position to protect your interests down the road if issues arise. Together, we have decades of experience in advising property owners and managers to help them secure and grow their rental operations with a practical legal focus. 

Notices to Quit; Evictions

Is your tenant not making payments on time?  Or breaking lease rules?  When landlord-tenant disputes arise, the rules setting out their respective rights can be technical and complex.  Both the Maine statutes and the terms of the lease will affect the best path forward to reach the result you want – a smoothly operating rental property.  Whether it is providing tenants with formal notice of lease violations, interpreting landlord or tenant rights to terminate leases, or going through the court eviction process to remove a tenant, our attorneys can help ensure that you’re operating within your rights and help you develop a practical plan for addressing these issues and protecting your rental investment.

Property Management Agreements

Are you a third-party property manager for rentals, or an owner looking to hire a professional property manager to take care of some day-to-day responsibilities?  The property management agreement is an important document to be sure of the rights and responsibilities of each party are clear and reflect your business deal. Our attorneys work with both professional property managers and property owners to draft, review and interpret these agreements to secure their rights and their business.