PA-005 Protection Order Service Information
The Maine form for providing information to for serving a Protection from Abuse order
PA-001 Complaint for Protection from Abuse
The Maine form for getting a Protection from Abuse court order
Am I eligible for TANF?
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) is a program for low income families with children. It provides cash benefits each month, and may also help you pay high housing costs. TANF is funded by the federal government, but each state sets up a program with rules specific to that state. This article only applies to TANF in Maine.
We have put… More
Podcast: Familial Status Protections under Fair Housing laws
Many landlords or housing providers don't know their responsibilities when it comes to renting to families with children or don't even know that families with children enjoy a protected status under housing discrimination laws and that they can't make dwellings unavailable or deny dwellings just because families have children.
Rights of Maine Renters: Eviction
Can my landlord turn off my utilities or change the locks on my door or kick me out without going to court? No. It is illegal for your landlord to throw you out by force. Your landlord must get a court order before they evict you.
Rights of Maine Renters: Discrimination
Landlords may not discriminate against you because of your: race, color, sex, sexual orientation, physical or mental impairment, religion, ancestry or national origin, getting welfare, being a single parent, being pregnant or having children. This means that a landlord cannot refuse to rent to you, charge you extra, or evict you for any of these… More
Rights of Maine Renters: Unsafe or Unfit Housing
Maine law gives tenants an "implied warranty of habitability." This means that your landlord must promise that your home is safe and fit to live in.
Rights of Maine Renters: Types of Rental Agreements
The agreement you make with your landlord affects what rights you will have. You may sign a written agreement called a lease. When you rent without a lease, you become a "tenant at will."
Rights of Maine Renters: Abandoned Property
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Rights of Maine Renters: Heat and Utility Charges for Common Areas
If you live in an apartment building, you may find out that you are paying for heat, lights, or other utilities for "common areas." This includes, for example, hallways, basements, or a common hot water heater or furnace.
It is illegal for your landlord to make you pay those costs alone. For example, the hall lights should not be hooked up to your… More