Early termination, though it sounds bad, can actually have a cleansing effect on the premises: a chance for both parties to just restart. Maine offers a few “outs” for both parties as follows:
Termination by landlord
- The tenant or their occupants, guests, or invitees fail to comply with any term of the agreement;
- The tenant misrepresents any material fact on his or her rental application;
- Per 14 M.R.S. § 6002(1), the tenancy may be terminated upon 7 days’ written notice in the event that the landlord can show, by affirmative proof, that:
- The tenant, his or her family, or an invitee of the tenant has caused substantial damage to the Premises that the tenant has not repaired or caused to be repaired before the giving of the notice provided in this subsection;
- The tenant, his or her family, or an invitee of the tenant caused or permitted a nuisance within the premises, has caused or permitted an invitee to cause the premises to become unfit for human habitation, or has violated or permitted a violation of the law regarding the tenancy; or
- The tenant is 7 days or more late in the payment of rent; or
- Per 14 M.R.S. § 6030-D, if a test of the premises reveals a level of radon of 4.0 picocuries per liter of air or above, then either the landlord or the tenant may terminate the agreement with a minimum of 30 days’ notice.
Termination by tenant
- The premises is damaged or destroyed by fire or casualty other than by the wrongful or negligent acts of the tenant to the extent that normal use and occupancy is substantially impaired;
- The landlord breaches the warranty of habitability; or
- Per 14 M.R.S. § 6030-D, if a test of the premises reveals a level of radon of 4.0 picocuries per liter of air or above, then either the landlord or the tenant may terminate the agreement with a minimum of 30 days’ notice.