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Maine Landlord Is Not Collecting Rent To Help Tenants Unable To Work During COVID-19 Outbreak

March 17, 2020

A landlord in Maine announced he will not be collecting rent from his tenants in April due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak.

Nathan Nichols, of South Portland, wrote on Facebook that the tenants living in the two units he owns are service and hourly workers, who may be out of work in the coming months.

"Because I have the good fortune and of being able to afford it and the privilege of being in the owner class, I just let them know I would not be collecting rent in April," Nichols wrote. "I ask any other landlords out there to take a serious look at your own situation and consider giving your tenants some rent relief as well."

Nichols post has more than 22,000 shares and hundreds of comments praising his decision.

In an update posted on Facebook, he revealed that it had inspired at least one other landlord to do the same.

He added: "Every so often, however, there is a comment from a landlord who would like to help their tenants, but simply can't, or from a tenant who wishes their landlord would help them, but doubts they will. To these people, I say: I don't know your situation and I don't want to imply that a landlord who isn't forgoing rent is somehow a bad person."