Laws vary from state to state but state statutes often provide for the creation of an implied warranty of merchantability by a lessor of goods in a lease transaction—such as for office equipment, computers, telephone systems, heavy machinery, home furniture, motor vehicles, or electronics.

For goods to be merchantable and comply with the implied warranty of merchantability they generally must:

• pass without objection in the trade under the description in the lease agreement;

• in the case of fungible goods, are of fair average quality within the description;

• be fit for the ordinary purposes for which goods of that type are used;

• run, within the variation permitted by the lease agreement, of even kind, quality, and quantity within each unit and among all units involved;

• be adequately contained, packaged, and labeled as the lease agreement may require; and

• conform to any promises or affirmations of fact made on the container or label.

Other implied warranties may be provided by statute or arise from the lessor and lessee’s course of dealing or usage of trade (standard practices and methods in the industry).

In Maine, as in many other states, the law provides for an implied warranty of merchantability in lease transactions for goods, which is applicable to various items such as office equipment, computers, and vehicles. Under this implied warranty, leased goods must meet certain criteria to be considered merchantable: they must be fit for the ordinary purposes for which such goods are used, match the quality and description specified in the lease agreement, and be consistent in quality and quantity within and across units. Additionally, if the goods are fungible, they must be of fair average quality. The goods should also be properly packaged, labeled, and conform to any claims made on their packaging or labeling. Beyond the implied warranty of merchantability, other warranties may arise from the specific course of dealing between the lessor and lessee or from the customary practices within the relevant industry. These statutory protections are designed to ensure that lessees receive goods that are of a quality and performance level that is reasonable to expect, given the nature of the goods and the terms of the lease agreement.