Maine Tenant Screening

Landlord Disclosures

Utilities: No landlord may lease or offer to lease a dwelling unit in a multi-unit residential building where the expense of furnishing electricity to the common areas or other area not within the unit is the sole responsibility of the tenant in that unit, unless both parties to the lease have agreed in writing that the tenant will pay for such costs in return for a stated reduction in rent or other specified fair consideration that approximates the actual cost of electricity to the common areas. (14 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 6024)

Energy Efficiency: Landlord must provide to potential tenants a residential energy efficiency disclosure statement in accordance with Title 35-A, section 10006, subsection 1, that includes, but is not limited to, information about the energy efficiency of the property. Before a tenant or lessee enters into a contract or pays a deposit to rent a property, the landlord must provide the statement to the tenant, obtain the tenant’s signature on the statement, and sign the statement. The landlord must retain the signed statement for at least 7 years. (14 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 6030-C)

Radon: By 2012 and every ten years thereafter, landlord must test for radon and disclose to prospective and existing tenants the date and results of the test and the risks of of radon, using a disclosure form prepared by the Department of Health and Human Services (tenant must sign acknowledgment of receipt). (14 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 6030-D)

Bedbug Information: Before renting a dwelling unit, landlord must disclose to a prospective tenant if an adjacent unit or units are currently infested with or are being treated for bedbugs. Upon request from a tenant or prospective tenant, landlord must disclose the last date that the dwelling unit the landlord seeks to rent or an adjacent unit or units were inspected for a bedbug infestation and found to be free of a bedbug infestation. (14 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 6021-A)

Smoking Policy: Landlord must give tenant written disclosure stating whether smoking is prohibited on the premises, allowed on the entire premises, or allowed in limited areas of the premises. If the landlord allows smoking in limited areas on the premises, the notice must identify the areas on the premises where smoking is allowed. Disclosure must be in the lease or separate written notice, landlord must disclose before tenant signs a lease or pays a deposit, and must obtain a written acknowledgment of notification from the tenant. (14 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 6030-E)

Security Deposit: Upon request by the tenant, landlord must disclose orally or in writing the account number and the name of the institution where the security deposit is being held. (Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 14, §§ 6031 to 6038)

Background Check Coverage for Maine Tenant Screening:

  • Criminal & Sex Offender Records – A statewide search including ME Department Of Corrections and ME Sex Offender Registry.
  • Eviction Records – The following counties are included Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York.
  • Bankruptcies, Liens & Judgments – The following counties are included Androscoggin, Aroostook, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, Oxford, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo, Washington, York