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Maine Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) FAQ

Introduction The Maine Homeowner Assistance Fund (“Maine HAF”) is a program meant to help homeowners who have experienced a financial hardship connected to COVID-19 and are at risk of losing their homes. This is a grant based program, homeowners will not have to pay this money back.
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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.
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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
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Rights of Maine Renters: Cable TV, Dishes, and Antennas

If I live in an apartment building, can my landlord stop me from getting cable TV, a satellite dish or an antenna? Generally, no. Your landlord can only refuse to allow these installations if they have "good cause" to deny that particular company. "Good cause" could be:
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Do you owe $500 or more to your electric company?

If you're more than $500 in debt on your electric bill, this program may be able to help you. You pay just your current monthly electric bill, each month and on time. For each month that you pay your current bill, your electric utility company will wipe out 1/12 of what you owe them on your back bill. Learn about how to enroll!
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Free and Low Cost Phone Services

Introduction  This page covers free and low-cost phone services available to Mainers. We know there are many new low or no cost ways of communicating, but we are just trying to cover the basics.   
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Heating Assistance News

LIHEAP funding continues to be lower than in previous years. This will mean that more households will be turning to local heating assistance programs after their LIHEAP money runs out.  Here is a summary of the programs we know about - followed by information about how to access local programs.  
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How Much Heat and Other Basic Utilities Does My Landlord Have to Provide?

Important Resources to Prevent Eviction Getting evicted? Worried you might be soon?
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Tenant's Repair and Deduct Form Letter

Caution! Repair and deduct can be a risky strategy - read our information about the Rights of Maine Renters in Unsafe or Unfit Housing before you try to use this form!