Maine Statewide Rule
Maine Landlord Access to Premises (Tit. 14 § 6025)
Key Facts
- Presumed reasonable notice
- 24 hours
- Emergency entry
- Allowed without notice
- Tenant waiver allowed?
- No: void as against public policy
- Statute
- Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14 § 6025
Summary
Maine landlords must give tenants reasonable notice before entering and may enter only at reasonable times, except in emergencies. Twenty-four hours is presumed reasonable. Tenants may not unreasonably withhold consent for inspections, repairs, services, or showings, and any waiver of these protections is void.
§6025. Access to premises 1. Tenant obligations. A tenant may not unreasonably withhold consent to the landlord to enter into the dwelling unit in order to inspect the premises, make necessary or agreed repairs, decorations, alterations or improvements, supply necessary or agreed services or exhibit the dwelling unit to prospective or actual purchasers, mortgagees, tenants, workers or contractors. A tenant may not change the lock to the dwelling unit without giving notice to the landlord and giving the landlord a duplicate key within 48 hours of the change. A victim may change the locks to the unit at the victim's expense. If the victim changes the locks to the unit, the victim shall provide the landlord with a duplicate key within 72 hours of changing the locks. For the purposes of this subsection, "victim" has the same meaning as in section 6000, subsection 4 . [PL 2015, c. 293, §11 (AMD).] 2. Landlord obligations. Except in the case of emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant reasonable notice of the landlord's intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times. Twenty-four hours is presumed to be a reasonable notice in the absence of evidence to the contrary. An emergency when the welfare of an animal is at risk as described in section 6025‑A is grounds for permitting entry without 24 hours' notice. [PL 2023, c. 336, §2 (AMD).] 3. Remedy.
Full Breakdown
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14 § 6025 provides that, "except in the case of emergency or if it is impracticable to do so, the landlord shall give the tenant reasonable notice of the landlord's intent to enter and shall enter only at reasonable times." The statute adds that "24 hours is presumed to be a reasonable notice in the absence of evidence to the contrary." Tenants may not unreasonably withhold consent for a landlord to inspect, make repairs or improvements, supply services, or show the unit to prospective buyers, tenants, or contractors. Any agreement by a tenant to waive these rights is against public policy and void. Section 6025-A separately allows entry without 24 hours' notice when an animal's welfare is at risk.
Violations & Penalties
No specific monetary penalty is set in the statute; a tenant may seek relief through the courts for unlawful entry or interference with quiet enjoyment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much notice must a Maine landlord give before entering my apartment?
Can I refuse to let my Maine landlord in?
Sources
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