State Rep. Christopher KesslerGregory Rec/Staff Photographer

A bill from South Portland and Cape Elizabeth Rep. Christopher Kessler has advanced a proposal to limit fees a landlord can charge a potential tenant during the rental application process. Governor Janet Mills signed the bill on June 28.

LD 691, “An Act to Reduce Barriers to Housing by Limiting Tenant Application Fees,” prohibits landlords from charging potential tenants a fee to submit a rental application. Landlords are still allowed to charge for actual costs related to conducting a one-time background check, credit check, or other screening once a year.

“In today’s tight rental housing market, prospective tenants sometimes have to see and apply to dozens of apartments before finding a place to live,” said Kessler. “This can often mean paying hundreds of dollars in application fees, which many folks simply cannot afford.

“By placing reasonable limits on how much a landlord can charge to complete the application process, this legislation eases the financial burden on prospective tenants while still allowing landlords to recoup the costs required to conduct background checks and screenings.”

Maine joins Vermont and Massachusetts among New England states setting restrictions on application fees. The bill will go into effect 90 days after the final adjournment of the legislative session.

Kessler is serving his third term in the Maine House of Representatives. He is a member of the Energy, Utilities, and Technology Committee. He represents part of South Portland and part of Cape Elizabeth. He is a resident of South Portland and, according to his legislative bio, an advocate of housing rights, energy efficiency, and clean energy. He is the founder of the South Portland Tenants Association and is also an energy auditor. He has served on multiple boards and associations related to both causes.

LD 691 joins other bills Kessler has advanced related to housing rights, such as LD 701 which he sponsored earlier this year, that increases the amount of notice a landlord must give before increasing rent by 10 percent or more.