Maine Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
Maine rules on mold, pests, heat & ac for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: Yes, by statute. It is a breach of the implied warranty of habitability for a landlord to offer for rent a unit with a leaking event (a water leak from flooding or a roof, window, door, plumbing, foundation or appliance failure), or chronic moisture or humidity outside the tenant's… 14 M.R.S. § 6021(1), (3), (4), (6-B) (added by PL 2025, c. 515)
The rules in Maine
| Mold | Yes, by statute. It is a breach of the implied warranty of habitability for a landlord to offer for rent a unit with a leaking event (a water leak from flooding or a roof, window, door, plumbing, foundation or appliance failure), or chronic moisture or humidity outside the tenant's control, that results in the growth of mold, bacteria or other biological organisms. A tenant who gave written notice, is current on rent and did not cause the condition can sue; the court can order repairs, reduce rent to the unit's fair value, or let the tenant temporarily vacate without paying. Municipalities may adopt stricter standards. The mold subsection and the 'leaking event' definition are new (PL 2025, c. 515). There is no separate mold-disclosure requirement for tenants. The court may not award consequential damages under § 6021. |
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| Pests & bed bugs | Detailed bed bug statute. The landlord must inspect within 5 days after written or oral notice from a tenant, contact a licensed pest control agent within 10 days after confirming an infestation, and pay for treatment by an insured agent. Before renting, the landlord must disclose if an adjacent unit is infested or being treated, and on request must give the last date the unit or adjacent units were inspected and found free of bed bugs. A landlord may not rent a unit known or suspected to be infested. Tenants must promptly report suspected bed bugs, allow access on reasonable notice, and follow treatment measures. A tenant who unreasonably fails to cooperate pays for the resulting treatments. A noncompliant landlord owes the greater of $250 or actual damages, plus attorney fees. The landlord must offer reasonable help (repayable over up to 6 months) to tenants who can't do the required prep, but need not provide other lodging or replace belongings. Other pests fall under the general habitability warranty (14 M.R.S. § 6021). Source: 14 M.R.S. § 6021-A |
| Heat | When the lease obligates the landlord to provide heat, the heating system must be able to keep at least 68°F (measured 3 feet from exterior walls and 5 feet above the floor, at an outside temperature of -20°F). The landlord must not keep it so cold that it is injurious to health and must keep pipes and systems from freezing. Falling short breaches the warranty of habitability. A landlord and tenant can agree in a separate signed writing to a lower setting, but not below 62°F, with a fair rent reduction. The agreement is revocable and not allowed if anyone over 65 or under 5 lives there. No statewide heating season is set. Municipalities may adopt stricter heat standards; less strict local rules are invalid. Separate rules cover landlord-paid utilities and common-area heat (14 M.R.S. §§ 6024, 6024-A). Source: 14 M.R.S. § 6021(6), (6-A) |
| Air conditioning | No statute — Maine law does not require landlords to provide air conditioning or set a maximum indoor temperature. If the lease includes AC, the landlord must keep that promise. Local housing codes may contain additional standards. |
| Smoke and CO detectors | In a rental unit, at the start of each occupancy the landlord must provide working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors if they are not already there, and must repair or replace them after written notice of a problem from the tenant. The tenant must keep them working by keeping batteries charged (and CO detectors connected to power), testing them periodically, and not disabling them. Owners must install smoke detectors in each unit of a multifamily building, and CO detectors in each area within or giving access to bedrooms in each unit of a multifamily building. On request of a deaf or hard-of-hearing occupant the owner must provide a suitable alarm, or the occupant may install one and deduct the cost from rent. Violating the smoke detector law is a civil violation with a forfeiture of up to $500 per violation (§2464(5)). |
Related questions
- Does a landlord have to fix mold?
- Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in a rental?
- Does a landlord have to provide heat?
- Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning?
Maine vs. neighboring states
| State | Mold | Pests & bed bugs | Heat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | Yes, by statute. It is a breach of the implied warranty of habitability for a landlord to offer for rent a unit with a leaking event (a water leak from flooding or a roof, window, door, plumbing, foundation or appliance failure), or chronic moisture or humidity outside the tenant's control, that results in the growth of mold, bacteria or other biological organisms. A tenant who gave written notice, is current on rent and did not cause the condition can sue; the court can order repairs, reduce rent to the unit's fair value, or let the tenant temporarily vacate without paying. Municipalities may adopt stricter standards. 14 M.R.S. § 6021(1), (3), (4), (6-B) (added by PL 2025, c. 515) | Detailed bed bug statute. The landlord must inspect within 5 days after written or oral notice from a tenant, contact a licensed pest control agent within 10 days after confirming an infestation, and pay for treatment by an insured agent. Before renting, the landlord must disclose if an adjacent unit is infested or being treated, and on request must give the last date the unit or adjacent units were inspected and found free of bed bugs. A landlord may not rent a unit known or suspected to be infested. Tenants must promptly report suspected bed bugs, allow access on reasonable notice, and follow treatment measures. A tenant who unreasonably fails to cooperate pays for the resulting treatments. A noncompliant landlord owes the greater of $250 or actual damages, plus attorney fees. 14 M.R.S. § 6021-A | When the lease obligates the landlord to provide heat, the heating system must be able to keep at least 68°F (measured 3 feet from exterior walls and 5 feet above the floor, at an outside temperature of -20°F). The landlord must not keep it so cold that it is injurious to health and must keep pipes and systems from freezing. Falling short breaches the warranty of habitability. A landlord and tenant can agree in a separate signed writing to a lower setting, but not below 62°F, with a fair rent reduction. The agreement is revocable and not allowed if anyone over 65 or under 5 lives there. No statewide heating season is set. 14 M.R.S. § 6021(6), (6-A) |
| New Hampshire | No statute — general habitability standards apply. The state minimum housing standards do not mention mold but prohibit related conditions such as roofs or walls that leak consistently and defective internal plumbing or sewage back-ups. RSA 48-A:14, II and IV | The landlord may not maintain premises infested by insects and rodents without a periodic inspection and eradication program, or infested by bed bugs without a periodic inspection and remediation program (remediation = substantially reducing bed bugs for at least 60 days). The landlord must investigate a tenant's report of insects, bed bugs, or rodents within 7 days and take reasonable measures to remediate. Tenants may not refuse access for emergency pest entry or, on 48 hours' written notice, for a bed-bug check when an adjacent, above, or below unit has bed bugs, and must follow reasonable written preparation instructions given at least 72 hours before treatment. RSA 48-A:14, I and I-a; RSA 540-A:3, IV-a, V-a to V-c | Yes. Heating facilities must be properly installed, safely maintained, in good working condition, and capable of heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms, and toilet rooms to an average of at least 65°F; when the landlord supplies heat as part of the rent, rooms must actually be kept at a minimum average of 65°F. No heating season is specified. A landlord may not willfully interrupt heat or other utility service except temporarily for repairs or emergencies. RSA 48-A:14, XI; RSA 540-A:3, I |
More Maine rental law
- Maine Security Deposit Law
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- Maine Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- Maine Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in Maine
- Squatters' Rights in Maine
- Maine Rental Fee Rules
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- Maine Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
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- Maine Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All Maine landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in Maine
Compare mold, pests, heat & ac in all 50 states and DC →
Maine Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules FAQ
Does a landlord have to fix mold in Maine?
Yes, by statute. It is a breach of the implied warranty of habitability for a landlord to offer for rent a unit with a leaking event (a water leak from flooding or a roof, window, door, plumbing, foundation or appliance failure), or chronic moisture or humidity outside the tenant's control, that results in the growth of mold, bacteria or other biological organisms. A tenant who gave written notice, is current on rent and did not cause the condition can sue; the court can order repairs, reduce rent to the unit's fair value, or let the tenant temporarily vacate without paying. Municipalities may adopt stricter standards. (14 M.R.S. § 6021(1), (3), (4), (6-B) (added by PL 2025, c. 515))
Who pays for pest control and bed bugs in Maine?
Detailed bed bug statute. The landlord must inspect within 5 days after written or oral notice from a tenant, contact a licensed pest control agent within 10 days after confirming an infestation, and pay for treatment by an insured agent. Before renting, the landlord must disclose if an adjacent unit is infested or being treated, and on request must give the last date the unit or adjacent units were inspected and found free of bed bugs. A landlord may not rent a unit known or suspected to be infested. Tenants must promptly report suspected bed bugs, allow access on reasonable notice, and follow treatment measures. A tenant who unreasonably fails to cooperate pays for the resulting treatments. A noncompliant landlord owes the greater of $250 or actual damages, plus attorney fees. (14 M.R.S. § 6021-A)
Does a landlord have to provide heat in Maine?
When the lease obligates the landlord to provide heat, the heating system must be able to keep at least 68°F (measured 3 feet from exterior walls and 5 feet above the floor, at an outside temperature of -20°F). The landlord must not keep it so cold that it is injurious to health and must keep pipes and systems from freezing. Falling short breaches the warranty of habitability. A landlord and tenant can agree in a separate signed writing to a lower setting, but not below 62°F, with a fair rent reduction. The agreement is revocable and not allowed if anyone over 65 or under 5 lives there. No statewide heating season is set. (14 M.R.S. § 6021(6), (6-A))
Does a landlord have to provide air conditioning in Maine?
No statute — Maine law does not require landlords to provide air conditioning or set a maximum indoor temperature. If the lease includes AC, the landlord must keep that promise. (14 M.R.S. ch. 710 (§§ 6021-6030-K checked))
Who is responsible for smoke detectors in a rental in Maine?
In a rental unit, at the start of each occupancy the landlord must provide working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors if they are not already there, and must repair or replace them after written notice of a problem from the tenant. The tenant must keep them working by keeping batteries charged (and CO detectors connected to power), testing them periodically, and not disabling them. Owners must install smoke detectors in each unit of a multifamily building, and CO detectors in each area within or giving access to bedrooms in each unit of a multifamily building. On request of a deaf or hard-of-hearing occupant the owner must provide a suitable alarm, or the occupant may install one and deduct the cost from rent. (25 M.R.S. §2464(2-A), (8), (9); 25 M.R.S. §2468(2), (3), (5))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.