Article Title: Rental Counseling & Eviction Prevention

Want resources on housing regarding COVID-19? Check out this page. We will constantly be updating on Housing Relief programs and Deadlines here as well. Penquis is one of the agencies working with MaineHousing to provide rental financial assistance during COVID-19. Find out more here.

For more information and for a counselor to contact you, please click on the rental counseling intake form below.

Contact a Counselor

Are you in the search for and having issues finding safe and affordable rental housing? Are you having issues with making rent payments or other issues with your landlord? Are you at risk for being evicted from your current rental home or apartment?

Penquis is now offering Rental Counseling and Eviction Prevention services to residents in Hancock, Knox, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo, and Washington counties in Maine. We can support tenants (and their landlords) in the following ways:

• Assist in understanding tenants’ rights and responsibilities and good rental practices, such as renter’s insurance and maintaining the home
• Understand rental leases, utility bill responsibility, and security deposits.
• Offer guidance on how to build and keep a good relationship and communication with landlords and help to resolve tenant-landlord disputes
• Improve budgeting and credit skills of tenants
• Assist in the creation and negotiation of payment plans that are realistic and practical for back-rent and other late payments
• Help tenants navigate the formal eviction process in the courts, understand their rights, and come to a swift and fair conclusion in partnership with other services, such as free legal services.
• Understand and resolve Fair Housing issues related to possible discrimination for protected classes including race, color, national origin, religion, disability, family status, sex/gender, and in Maine, sexual orientation.
• Guide renters on eventual home-buying (See Pre-Purchase Counseling)

We welcome partnerships with landlords in supporting your tenants and helping them remain responsible and punctual tenants. We do not see the tenant-landlord relationship as adversarial by default and prefer to work with both sides to come to a mutually beneficial conclusion!

For more information, please contact our certified housing counselor, Heather Massow, at (207) 974-2403.