A Maine 30 Day Notice to Vacate is a legal letter written to terminate a periodic (i.e., weekly or monthly) or fixed term rental agreement. The letter is provided at least thirty (30) calendar days before the end of the following rental period or expiration of the lease term.
When to Use a Maine 30 Day Notice to Vacate
A landlord or a tenant may use a Maine 30-Day Notice to Vacate to terminate a periodic (i.e., week-to-week or month-to-month) or a fixed term rental agreement, regardless of length or rent payment frequency. This letter may also be used for tenants with no written lease or for tenants with an expired lease.
The letter must be provided at least thirty (30) calendar days prior to the end of the following rental period or expiration of the lease.
How to Write a Maine 30 Day Notice to Vacate
For a lease termination notice to be legally compliant:
- State who the legal letter is addressed to (use full name of the receiving party).
- Include the termination date of the lease or tenancy.
- Fill in the full address of the rental premises.
- For tenants, provide your new address and an updated phone number.
- Sign the notice and print your name.
- For landlords, include contact information, such as address and phone number.
- Complete the certificate of service by indicating the date and method of notice delivery along with printed name and signature.
Without this information on the lease termination notice, a judge may not be able to proceed with legal action.
How to Serve a Maine 30 Day Notice to Vacate
A landlord or a tenant shall make three (3) good faith efforts to serve the lease termination letter in person. If service cannot be made in person, either party may post the notice at the premises, such as on the entry door AND mail the notice to the other party by first class mail with a certificate of mailing.
When sending the notice by first class mail, add three (3) calendar days to the notice period to account for variability in post office delivery times.
Sources
- 1 14 ME Rev Stat § 6002
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Tenancies at will must be terminated by either party by a minimum of 30 days’ notice in writing for that purpose given to the other party. In cases when the tenant has paid rent through the date when a 30-day notice would expire, the notice must expire on or after the date through which the rent has been paid.
Source Link - 2 14 ME Rev Stat § 6002
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If the landlord or the tenant have made at least 3 good faith efforts to serve the other party, that service may be accomplished by both mailing the notice by first class mail to the other party’s last known address and by leaving the notice at the other party’s last and usual place of abode.
Source Link - 3 Maine Court Rules of Civil Procedure - Rule 6
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Additional Time After Service by Mail. Whenever a party has the right or is required to do some act or take some proceedings within a prescribed period after the service of a notice or other paper upon the party and the notice or paper is served upon the party by mail, 3 days shall be added to the prescribed period.
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