Skowhegan, ME Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

The Property Maintenance Ordinance, adopted at the Annual Town Meeting on June 13, 2022, sets minimum standards for structures and grounds. Section III applies it to all existing residential and nonresidential structures and all existing premises, so a rented house, an apartment building and an owner-occupied home meet the same exterior standards. Section I states the purpose: to protect public health, public safety and property values and to prevent nuisance conditions.

Section V.2 is the exterior-of-structures list. Fences and barriers must be kept in good repair. Exterior walls, roofs, chimneys, smokestacks, stairs, decks, porches and balconies must be structurally sound. Awnings, signs, fire escapes and ductwork must be properly anchored. Handrails and guards must be firmly fastened and capable of supporting normally imposed loads. Exterior doors, door assemblies and hardware must be in good condition and repair. Wall and roof surfaces of any structure used for human occupancy must keep out wind, rain and snow, and basement foundations must be enclosed to keep out vermin. The ordinance defines good condition as an item able to operate or be used for its intended function and purpose.

The ordinance speaks of owners, operators and occupants rather than landlords and tenants. An operator is anyone with charge, care or control of a dwelling or property, with or without the owner's knowledge and consent, and an occupant is anyone living, sleeping or having actual possession of a dwelling unit or rooming unit. Section VII makes all of them jointly and severally liable. Section II also treats a property as uninhabitable when the structure is unstable, when exterior damage lets in rain, wind, hail or flood, or when hazards such as debris or downed electrical lines remain uncleared.