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Rent Regulations

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, §§ 6000–6016-A § 6000

Definitions

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
effective 10/21/2026MaineVAWA & Survivor Protections

Operative Text

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, §§ 6000–6016-A § 6000
As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.




1.
Domestic violence.
"Domestic violence" means conduct described in Title 17‑A, chapters 9 , 11 , 12 and 13 ; Title 17‑A, sections 432 , 433 , 506 , 506‑A , 506‑B , 758 , 805 , 806 , 852 and 853 ; and Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 1 , when the victim of that conduct or threat is a family or household member, as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 6, paragraphs A to E or dating partner, as defined in Title 19‑A, section 4102, subsection 4 .






1-A.
Mandatory recurring fee.
"Mandatory recurring fee" means an amount of money paid, other than rent, on a predetermined recurring basis to fulfill requirements within a lease or tenancy at will agreement related to services or common areas. "Mandatory recurring fee" does not include fees for late, missed or insufficient payment of rent, repair costs, utility service costs, penalties or charges that are issued to reimburse the landlord for reasonable costs or that deter the tenant from violating the lease or tenancy at will agreement.






1-B.
Rent.
"Rent" means an amount of money paid on a predetermined recurring basis to fulfill the requirements of a lease or tenancy at will agreement. "Rent" does not include security deposits, utility service costs, fees, penalties or charges that are issued to reimburse the landlord for reasonable costs or that deter the tenant from violating the lease or tenancy at will agreement.






2.
Sexual assault.
"Sexual assault" means any conduct described under Title 17‑A, chapters 11 , 12 and 35 and Title 17‑A, sections 852 and 853 .






2-A.
Sexual harassment.
"Sexual harassment" means verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature directed at a specific person, including, but not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances; sexually suggestive remarks or actions; unwanted hugs, touches or kisses; and requests for sexual favors. "Sexual harassment" includes retaliation for communicating about or filing a complaint of sexual harassment.






3.
Stalking.
"Stalking" means any conduct described in Title 17‑A, section 210‑A .






3-A.
Utility service costs.
"Utility service costs" means costs associated with a dwelling unit's use of:



A.
Energy delivered for that dwelling unit;



B.
Services provided by a public utility as defined in Title 35‑A, section 102, subsection 13 ;



C.
Services provided by a communications service as defined in Title 35‑A, section 9202, subsection 3 ; and



D.
Services provided by a municipality.






4.
Victim.
"Victim" means an individual who has been subject to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Maine Revised Statutes Title 14, § 6000 establishes the definitions that govern the entire subchapter dealing with tenant protections related to domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and stalking. Key terms—including 'rent,' 'mandatory recurring fee,' 'utility service costs,' and 'victim'—are given precise meanings that apply throughout the subchapter, distinguishing, for example, base rent from fees, penalties, and utility costs. These definitions set the interpretive foundation for all rights and obligations described in the surrounding provisions.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 22, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under 14 M.R.S. § 6000, landlords operating in Maine should be aware that 'rent' and 'mandatory recurring fee' are defined narrowly, meaning that late fees, repair charges, penalties, and utility costs fall outside those categories for purposes of this subchapter. Compliant operators typically structure their lease agreements to clearly separate base rent from other charges, ensuring that each category aligns with the statutory definitions. Understanding these distinctions is important because other provisions in the subchapter—such as those governing lease termination rights for victims—turn on how these terms are applied.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Maine law at 14 M.R.S. § 6000 provides clear definitions of terms like 'victim,' 'domestic violence,' 'sexual assault,' 'stalking,' and 'sexual harassment' that determine who qualifies for protections under this subchapter. Tenants who have experienced any of the defined conduct may find that these definitions are relevant when asserting rights elsewhere in the subchapter, such as the right to terminate a lease early. Tenant-rights organizations in Maine can help individuals understand how these definitions apply to their circumstances and what options may be available under the broader subchapter.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Expression #1
Oct 21, 2026
Current
Oct 21, 2026
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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Me. Rev. Stat. § 432
Not yet ingested
Me. Rev. Stat. § 4102
Not yet ingested
Me. Rev. Stat. § 852
Not yet ingested
Me. Rev. Stat. § 853
Not yet ingested
Me. Rev. Stat. § 210-A
Not yet ingested
Me. Rev. Stat. § 102
Not yet ingested
Me. Rev. Stat. § 9202
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Me. Rev. Stat. § 6015
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6004
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6016
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6015
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6004
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6013
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6016
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6002
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6013
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6005
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6000
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. § 6001
Me. Rev. Stat. ch. 709
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 14, § 6002

Related Rules

§ 25
Refusal of rental agreement or assistance based on termination of rental agreement under Sec. 24 or request for change of lock under Sec. 26 prohibited
§ 26
Change of locks upon request of tenant, co-tenant or household member believed to be under imminent threat of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault or stalking
§ 47a-7b
Request to change dwelling unit locks when tenant is named as a protected person in a protective or restraining order.

Source Information

Source:https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/14/title14sec6000.html
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