Can a tenant repair and deduct from rent in Maine?
Yes, within limits. In Maine, if a condition endangers health or safety and the landlord does not fix it within 14 days after written notice by certified mail (sooner in an emergency), and the repair costs less than $500 or half a month’s rent, whichever is greater, the tenant may have the work done with due professional care and deduct the cost after giving the landlord an itemized statement. Electrical, oil burner and plumbing work must be done by a licensed professional, and a tenant may not charge for their own or their family’s labor. Each step has to be followed as the statute sets it out, including the written notice and the waiting period, or the deduction can be treated as unpaid rent. This is 14 M.R.S. § 6026.
| What | Maine |
|---|---|
| Repair and deduct | Allowed by statute, within a cap |
| Limit | Up to $500 or half a month’s rent, whichever is greater |
Source
14 M.R.S. § 6026
Read the statute in the Maine Revised Statutes (Maine Legislature): legislature.maine.gov.
Checked against the statute on October 23, 2026.
This is a summary of a published statute, not legal advice. Rules change, local ordinances can add to them, and the terms of a specific lease may differ. Check the citation and speak to a lawyer before acting.
How Seayora uses this rule
Every deadline on this page runs from the tenant’s notice. A repair request filed in Seayora keeps the date it was made and every update after it, on the website and both phone apps, so owner and tenant are working from the same date.
Guides on this rule
- How Long Does a Landlord Have to Make Repairs? Deadlines by State — Repair deadlines after a tenant’s notice in Washington, Texas, Arizona, Oregon, California and Florida, and what a tenant may do if the landlord misses one.
Compare this rule in every state
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