Can a Maine park charge a fee it never disclosed?

No. Under 10 M.R.S. §9093(1), a park 'shall disclose fully in writing all fees, charges, assessments and rules before a mobile home dweller assumes occupancy,' and §9093(3) provides that if it fails to do so 'those fees, charges or assessments may not be collected,' and the park may not use a refusal to pay an undisclosed charge 'as a cause for eviction in any court.' This is general information, not advice about a specific charge — consider consulting a licensed attorney in Maine.

Is there a limit on entrance fees and late fees in Maine?

Yes. Under §9097(3), a park may not charge fees other than rent, utilities, reasonable incidental service charges, entrance fees, or security deposits unless the original lease provides, and an entrance fee for moving into a home already in the park may not be 'greater than 2 times the amount of the monthly rent.' Under §9097-C, a late fee may not exceed 4% of one month's rent and applies only if rent is more than 15 days late and the lease disclosed the penalty.

Can a Maine park charge an application fee?

Only the actual cost of screening. Under §9093-A, a park generally may not charge an application or review fee, but may require an applicant to pay 'only one of' the actual cost of a background check, a credit check, or another screening process — no more than one such fee in any 12-month period — and must give the applicant a complete copy of what the screening produced.

Mobile home park fees in Maine

Maine's mobile home park law, 10 M.R.S. Chapter 953, controls park fees through disclosure rules and several specific caps. The information below describes how the law generally works; anyone disputing a specific charge should consider consulting a licensed attorney in Maine.

What the statute says

Disclosure comes first. 10 M.R.S. §9093(1) provides that a park "shall disclose fully in writing all fees, charges, assessments and rules before a mobile home dweller assumes occupancy in the park," and §9093(3) gives that teeth:

If the park owner or operator fails to fully disclose any fees, charges or assessments, those fees, charges or assessments may not be collected. The owner or operator may not use the mobile home dweller's refusal to pay any undisclosed charge as a cause for eviction in any court.

On what may be charged at all, §9097(3) provides that a park "may not charge any fees to tenants other than charges for rent, utilities, reasonable incidental service charges, entrance fees or security deposits, unless otherwise provided for in the original lease," and that an entrance fee for "a tenant who is moving into a mobile home currently in the mobile home park" may not be "greater than 2 times the amount of the monthly rent." Late fees are capped by §9097-C: rent is late only if "not made within 15 days," the penalty "may not ... exceed 4% of the amount due for one month," and the lease must have disclosed it. Application fees are limited by §9093-A to the "actual cost" of a background check, credit check, or other screening — only one, and "not more than one fee ... in any 12-month period."

How it works in general

Every fee, charge, and assessment must be disclosed in writing before move-in; anything not disclosed cannot be collected and cannot be used as grounds for eviction. Beyond rent, the park is limited to utilities, reasonable incidental service charges, entrance fees, and security deposits unless the original lease adds more. An entrance fee for buying into an existing in-park home is capped at twice the monthly rent. A late fee is allowed only if rent is over 15 days late, is capped at 4% of a month's rent, and must have been disclosed in the lease. Application fees are limited to the park's actual screening costs, charged once.

Common scenarios

General examples Maine park residents commonly encounter:

A new charge appears that was never disclosed. Under §9093(3) it may not be collected, and refusing to pay it is not grounds for eviction.
A buyer faces a large entrance fee. For a home already in the park, it cannot exceed two months' rent (§9097(3)).
A late fee is added the day after rent is due. §9097-C allows none until rent is more than 15 days late, and caps it at 4%.

Other authorities that may apply

Chapter 953 sets the disclosure rule and the fee, entrance-fee, late-fee, and application-fee limits; the written lease supplies any additional charges, which must have been disclosed. A park also "may not require a resident ... to purchase from the owner" tie-down or other required equipment (§9092). Unfair fee practices can also be an unfair trade practice under Title 5, chapter 10 (§9100), and federal law can apply in particular situations.