Maine unclaimed tenant property law: store it, mail a list and wait 7 to 14 days

What must you do first?

Subsection 1 says the landlord shall place in storage, in a safe, dry, secured location, any personal property abandoned or unclaimed by a tenant after vacating. The duty comes before the notice. Leaving belongings in a damp garage or on the curb is not a safe, dry, secured location.

How does the notice work?

Subsection 2 splits by whether the tenant is still in possession. If so, you send written notice by first-class mail with proof of mailing to the tenant at the rental unit's address. That notice cannot give the tenant fewer than 7 days after mailing, or 48 hours after service of the writ of possession, whichever is longer, to claim the property.

If the tenant has vacated, you mail written notice with proof of mailing to the last known address, describing your intent to dispose of the stored property. It must include an itemized list of the items and containers of items and tell the tenant that if there is no response within 7 days, you may dispose of the property as the statute allows.

What if the tenant answers?

If the tenant claims the property within 7 days after the notice is sent, oral or written, you must release it. You may not make release depend on paying a fee or other money the tenant owes you, such as rent arrears, damage or storage costs, as long as the tenant arranges to pick up by the 14th day after the notice was sent. If the tenant responds, you keep storing the property for at least 14 days after you sent the notice.

Example a made-up landlord mails the notice on March 2. The tenant texts a claim on March 6. The landlord must hold the items through March 16 and hand them over without demanding the $400 of back rent. If the tenant never picks up by March 16, the landlord may use the remedies below.

What can you do with unclaimed property?

• Condition release on the tenant paying all rent arrears, damages and storage costs.
• Sell property for a reasonable fair market price, apply the proceeds to arrears, damages and costs of storage and sale, and forward any remaining balance to the Treasurer of State.
• Dispose of property that has no reasonable fair market value.

The treasurer rule matters: surplus does not go to the landlord. A tenant may also waive these rights after or upon vacating; an oral waiver must be confirmed in writing by the landlord. A lease may allow disposal without liability only if you follow the section's notice rules.

Maine abandoned property checklist

A short routine keeps you inside the section. Photograph the unit before you remove anything. Write an itemized list of items and containers while they are still in place. Put everything in a dry, locked space. Mail the notice with proof of mailing and write the mailing date at the top of the file. Count seven days for the claim and fourteen days for continued storage from that same date. Do not ask for arrears when the tenant claims on time. Keep any sale record, because the leftover balance has to go to the Treasurer of State and not into your account.

How DoorKeeping helps

The itemized list is the part that takes time. DoorKeeping keeps move-out photos with the tenant record, lets you build the list from them and keeps the mailing proof next to it. The 7 and 14 day dates show on your list. You approve every letter yourself. This is general information, not legal advice. Check the current statute or ask a local attorney before you act.

Sources

1. 14 M.R.S. 6013, Property unclaimed by tenant (Maine Legislature), read Oct 30, 2026

Questions

How long does a Maine tenant have to claim property?

At least 7 days after the notice is mailed, and if the tenant responds the landlord stores it for at least 14 days after sending the notice.

Can a Maine landlord demand unpaid rent before returning belongings?

Not if the tenant claims within 7 days and arranges to retrieve by the 14th day. Release cannot depend on paying arrears, damages or storage costs.

What happens to sale money in Maine?

It is applied to arrears, damages and costs of storage and sale, and any remaining balance goes to the Treasurer of State.