Understand the laws and regulations: Massachusetts has strict landlord-tenant laws that you must adhere to as a landlord. You are entitled to a safe and habitable living environment throughout your entire tenancy. We have lease agreements, eviction notices, and every other kind of landlord help you need. It is one thing to prohibit someone from staying in an apartment for more than a week and a prohibition against visitors staying at all. The local Board of Health or other code enforcement agency has certified that the present conditions endanger your health or safety; and, The landlord receives written notice of the existing violations from the inspecting agency; and, The landlord is given five days from the date of notice to begin repairs or to contract for outside services and 14 days to substantially complete all necessary repairs. Specific actions like telling interested tenants that the availability for rentals is limited may be considered discriminatory if the landlord does these things because of a tenant's: Veteran . The Appeals Court also held that a lease which permits a landlord a right to access an apartment for purposes of inspection and repair does not create blanket authority for the landlord to enter at any time without the tenants permission in derogation of a tenants quiet enjoyment rights under statute. If your lease agreement doesn't already include a clause about long-term guests, it's time to amend it. ( Tenn. Code Ann. all household members and income and require you to pay more rent. We will use this information to improve this page. Massachusetts law also provides you with rights that protect the payments you make to the landlord. You run the risk of having your tenants hide guests or other unwanted behaviors from you. Injure, threaten, or unreasonably disturb housing authority officers, Misuse electric, heating, plumbing, or other utility services or install. Ct. 1110 (2017)Intentionally depriving a tenant of access to a common area basement for a period of less than a month did not, without more, rise to the level of a substantial interference with her tenancy. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Even though overnight guests are allowed, tenants are responsible for what their guests do on rental premises. Landlord-tenant laws are overseen by bureaus or offices governed by state and local ordinance. As a tenant, you have a legal responsibility to pay your landlord for the use of a place that is in decent condition. Landlords cannot unreasonably prohibit guests from entering the rental property or charge a fee for having guests over. To find out what Please do not include personal or contact information. 1924 C.M.R. 6.06(5)(i). Please limit your input to 500 characters. These laws cover everything from how much notice you need to give tenants before entering their unit to how you can handle security deposits. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Overview of Landlord-Tenant Laws in Massachusetts. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. as a live-in aide, the person who will be assisting you must be essential to 982.402(b)(6); 760 Top-requested sites to log in to services provided by the state. California law gives tenants certain legal rights, including the right to host guests at the property that they rent. Each year, the landlord must either pay the tenant the interest on the security deposit or let the tenant deduct that amount from a rent payment. Specifically, the Oakland Tenant Protection . ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the official website. There are strict regulations about having your utilities shutoff. Many tenants get into trouble with the housing authority You can also request a meeting to describe Every tenant's legal guide by Janet Portman, Nolo, 2021. 21-night limit is up. Increasing rent incorrectly could lead to costly, time-consuming and needless problems or litigation with your tenant (M.G.L. Some common defenses to eviction include: The feedback will only be used for improving the website. The formal eviction process is called Summary Process and starts when the landlord files a complaint in court. Specifies prohibited acts by landlords in the areas of conditions, notices, rental agreements, security deposits, evictions, and more. Sellers and brokers don't have to tell buyers or tenants about a murder or suicide in the house, or about ghosts or other paranormal activity. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. To qualify Rent withholding can be a useful tool to force repairs, but it is a serious step and should be dealt with carefully. C.M.R. 76-1428 . Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Ct. 455 (2017)In a warranty of habitability case, the Appeals Court, applied the tort principle that the defendant must take its plaintiff as it finds him or her and held that where material breach of the warranty of habitability occurred, a tenants special sensitivity to a condition in the apartment may be considered in the determination of the diminished value to him of the premises due to its defective condition. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. In other words, monetary judgments against them are practically useless. one time, and what procedures you must follow if you want a guest to stay longer If you need assistance, please contact the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation. If the tenant still does not pay, then the landlord may file a Complaint for Eviction of Nonpayment of Rent. 9am and 4pm. Massachusetts Landlord and Tenant Law requires your landlord to return the security deposit within 30 days after you leave the rental unit. Typically, if you caused damage (beyond normal wear and tear) to the space your landlordaccording to MA Landlord and Tenant Lawis allowed to use a portion of the security deposit to pay for repairs. Your landlord may ban guests from coming to your premises depending on the terms of your written lease. at the property that they rent. Worcester v. College Hill Properties, LLC, 465 Mass. Housing authorities establish their own policies about guests. The following is a sampling of provisions outlined in the Code: Water:The landlord must provide you with enough water, with adequate pressure, to meet your ordinary needs. It should state These include: Wear and tear caused by normal use of the apartment. An insurance policy for a multi-unit apartment building must provide coverage up to a limit of $750 for each unit to cover the cost moving costs of any tenant who has to move because of a fire. For example, if a "guest" starts using their friend's rental unit as their . Landlords and tenants should consider their rights and responsibilities when creating or signing onto a lease, as well as laws, regulations, and issues related to renting and leasing an apartment. You may request an extension of that 346, Attorney General's guide to landlord-tenant rights, The brothel myth. exactly who the housing authority thinks is your unauthorized guest. activity is defined as activity that threatens the health, safety or 76-1429. is needed before the person is added to your household. , Most landlords allow guests to stay over. You arenot required to provide a refrigerator, but if you do, it must be maintained by the landlord in good working order. Phillips v. Equity Residential Management, L.L.C., 478 Mass. (A lease or rental agreement may permit the landlord to charge a late fee if a rent payment is 30 or more days late. Real estate in general, including buying and selling. Landlords must also provide tenants, as an attachment to a written lease, with an information pamphlet on lead-based paint hazards. Some page levels are currently hidden. * In some cases, they can't stop you. Include Appropriate Language in the Lease Agreement. Every rental agreement must have certain terms, and is prohibited from containing certain other terms. A right to: Require a security deposit from your tenant. MassLandlords is the landlord trade association for Massachusetts. Be notified when a tenant plans on being out of town for an extended time period. If the tenant is not gone by this date, the landlord can have a . If the tenant remains on the property after the notice period ends, the landlord may begin the eviction process. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Please limit your input to 500 characters. you. Residential landlord-tenant benchbook, Flashner Institute, 3rd ed., 2013. Only a licensed real estate broker or salesperson can charge you a fee for the purpose of finding an apartment. Thank you for your website feedback! The Massachusetts Security Deposit Law is very complex. 2. You need only pay the fair rent for your unit given its defective condition. On the notice, you might say that you are less willing to work things out than usual, because of the extra person residing in the house. Please let us know how we can improve this page. A tenancy-at-will does not last for any set amount of time and does not end on a certain date, the way a lease does. The law affords tenants many rights that are typically not afforded to hotel guests, in part because a guest's stay in a hotel is usually much shorter than a tenant's stay in a rental. You skipped the table of contents section. From writing a lease, screening applicants, and maintaining your rental, there's a lot of stress to handle. terms of eligibility, admission, and conduct. 6.06(6)(d). In general, a guest is someone who does not appear on your lease and who A lease is an oral or written contract by which one party consents to give the other party . Massachusetts prohibits landlords from discriminating against tenants based on characteristics that are protected by the state's fair housing laws. This is true even if you are a federal tenant. The landlord should give the tenant a statement of condition within 10 days of the beginning of the tenancy or upon receipt of the security deposit (whichever is later), which describes the condition of the apartment and any damage that exists at that time. 2. of this type of evidence include the following: Once you have the evidence, write a letter to the housing authority and Eviction Notice because of anything but the unwanted guest: A landlord can give the tenant an eviction notice (like a 5-day or 14-day notice) for other problems that are easier to prove, such as late rent. anyone move in with you. A .mass.gov website belongs to an official government organization in Massachusetts. Mass.gov is a registered service mark of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. When the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the security deposit, plus interest, within 30 days. Late fees for rent unless the rent is 30 days past due. Regardless of the tenancy type, the tenant has a right to occupy the apartment and the landlord may only enter under certain circumstances. If the lease provides for it, the landlord may also deduct the tenants share of any increase in the landlords property taxes. The right to have guests, roommates, visitors, etc., is a right that is encapsulated in a tenant's right to quiet enjoyment of their rental unit. If a child under 6 lives in a residential premises containing unlawful levels of lead, the landlord is obligated to remove it. Clifford L Tuttle, Jr. Attorney at Law. The tenant is committed to paying rent for the term of the lease andmay only end the tenancy before the close of the lease term if the landlord agrees to an early termination of the lease. MassLandlords is the landlord trade association for Massachusetts. At the end of each year and when the tenancy ends, the tenant is entitled to any interest earned on the last months rent. in State Sanitary Code. an extended period of time). Landlords cannot chargea finder's fee to a prospective tenant. Yes. Guests of extended stay hotels, also known as residential hotels, can stay for weeks, months, or . In addition, the Massachusetts Communities and Development Housing Services Program or the local housing court can help resolve a dispute between a landlord and a tenant. Landlord-Tenant. Disturb other tenants and conduct themselves in a way that is not peaceful, Engage in criminal activity in the apartment, on housing authority. The tenant may not join a tenants union. An apartment rented to 4 college students to share is not a lodging house. The tenant must pay a late fee if a rent payment is even one day late. The tenant has 15 days to add to the statement of condition or make changes to it. The landlord must pay for the heat, unless your lease requires you to pay for it. Property owners generally do not have the right to limit overnight guests unless it is clear the . . The lease must include the name, address, and phone number of the owner, the person responsible for maintenance, and the person to whom the tenant can give copies of formal notice. You skipped the table of contents section. v. Lebanon Housing Authority, 760 F.2d 361 (1st Cir. If the housing authority gives you permission, it must An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This overview of key landlord-tenant laws in Massachusetts will get you started. State law regulates several rent-related issues, including late fees, the amount of notice (at least 30 days or the interval between days of payment in Massachusetts) landlords must give tenants to raise the rent, and how much time (14 days in Massachusetts) a tenant has to pay rent or move before a landlord can file for eviction. However, the SRO hotel may cap the total number of guests to one per night and eight per month. Structural Elements:You must maintain the foundation, floors, walls, doors, windows, ceilings, roof, stairwells, porches, chimneys and all structural elements so as to exclude wind, rain, and snow; so as to be rodent-proof, weather tight, watertight, and free of chronic dampness, in good repair and fit for human habitation at all times. On Behalf of Goodkin APC | Apr 6, 2022 | real estate litigation. you and the live-in aide may be eligible to occupy your apartment. household members (and therefore not guests) if they routinely live with you. Required Landlord Disclosures in Massachusetts Under . Notice depends on the type of tenancy. We have to store an evicted tenant's belongings for six months , which is three times the next nearest state, Vermont, at two months. A lock icon ( I signed an agreement regarding this. An official website of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, This page, The Attorney General's Guide to Landlord and Tenant Rights, is. A landlord who tries to control who stays overnight on the rental premises may be harassing a tenant. taken to court. Knowing what laws affect landlord-tenant relationships and help either party advocate for themselves during a dispute. Keep a copy of this letter and whatever else The law is not yet clear about whether, once the case gets to court, If you need assistance, please . the apartment even if the tenant did not know this would occur.20. C.M.R 6.03. This article briefly outlines several common concepts having to do with residential leases and the duties of landlords and renters. Like all receipts in the tenancy process, the receipt must include the amount paid, the date the payment was made, a description of what the payment was for, the landlords name, the tenants name, and the name of the person to whom the payment was given. In either kind of tenancy, the tenant has a right to occupy There is no lease only a rental agreement which states ''The Premises shall be used and occupied by Tenant as a private dwelling and no other individuals other than Tenant may occupy the Premises''. Water:If you meetcertain legal requirements, youmay charge a new tenant for water consumption by installing a water meter for the unit. Once TheState Sanitary Code governs what it means to provide a habitable place in which to live. 2.01 et seq.). Yourlocal Board of Health in the city or town where you are rentingenforces the Code. This sign-off also acts as violation-free base line if the tenant should claim there are problems with the apartment after taking occupancy. Agreement for tenancy can be written or verbal. The court stated that the pit bull is a breed "commonly known to be aggressive." Every landlord's guide to finding great tenants by Janet Portman, Nolo, 2020. If a tenant violates the lease, they open themselves up to expensive fees and possibly eviction. However, before either withholding rent or moving out, tenants considering these options should contact a private lawyer or legal services for more information and advice. Also, you may want to meet your tenants prior to giving final approval, especially in an owner-occupied multi-unit rental. If the tenant doesn't want to make repairs, he or she can choose to terminate the rental agreement. You should always confirm current employment, salary level, prospects for remaining with the employer, and landlord references from not just the current landlord, but the tenant's landlord just prior to the prospective tenant's current landlord. The tenant is allowed a one-time opportunity to claim items of personal or sentimental value from the storage facility, and can claim all personal property from the storage facility after paying any fees charged by the storage facility. Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, contact the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, A lease generally means a signed agreement to rent an apartment for a specified period of time and a set monthly charge, Rent cannot be increased until the end of the lease, unless the lease states otherwise, A tenant cannot be evicted before the end of the term, unless the tenant violates some provision of the lease, No formal lease agreement. Intentionally depriving a tenant of access to a common area basement for a period of less than a month did not, without more, rise to the level of a substantial interference with her tenancy. If you are unable to find the information you are looking for, or if you have a specific question, please contact our law librarians for assistance. This may be difficult to do with credibility, since you are an interested party and might be expected to exaggerate a bit. A manufactured home community charged newer residents $96 per month more than they charged other residents. In general, the landlord should not rush a tenant to make a decision, and both parties should be very clear about the terms and conditions before either signs the lease. You then have the right to move out if you choose not to make repairs. Be sure to ask for a copy of this letter. If they cause damage, the tenant is usually on the hook to pay to repair the damages. Almost all Tenants in MA are judgment-proof. While the rule of thumb that tenants should pay no more than of their income for rent has been stretched beyond that recommendation by increases in market rents,if the tenants offer a co-signature of a parent or friend on their lease to guarantee their rental obligation to you, consider carefully that a guarantee by an out of state signer is very difficult to enforce. state law rights. v. Peekskill Housing Authority, 647 F.2d 332 (2nd Cir. They may even charge additional rental fees for long-term guests because of how they contribute to wear and tear at the property and also utility expenses. If you need help, please contact the Attorney General'sConsumer Hotline at (617) 727-8400. C.F.R. Massachusetts Fair Housing law prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, religion, national origin, age, ancestry, military background or service, sex, sexual preference, marital status, disabilityor the need of a guide dog, except owner-occupied two family dwellings. A few overly concerned landlords go overboard by keeping tabs on legitimate guests who stay overnight or for a . App. We cannot charge a late fee before 30 days , which is twice the next nearest state, Maine, at 15 days. Upon termination of a Massachusetts lease, the landlord must return the security deposit or the balance within 30 days of the tenant vacating the property. Some page levels are currently hidden. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Either the landlord or the tenant can decide to end the tenancy by giving the other party noticeeither 30 days or one month before the due date of the next rent payment, whichever is longer. You are allowed increase the rent in any amount you believe is appropriate for the marketfor a non-subsidized unit or for a unit that does not fall under therestrictions of rent control pertaining to mobile homes, under the following circumstances: Under a tenancy at will, you must end the tenancy and notify the tenant of the rent increase at least a full rental period in advance, but not less than 30 days in advance of the effective date of the increase. However, from the facts you give, this lady probably wouldn't be considered a 'tenant.' Legally she is more likely a 'lodger.' A lodger is someone who rents a room in a private residence and has incidental privileges in the rest of the house. Thank you for your website feedback! Who is considered a guest in public housing? This was given to me by Leominster District Court. 1. gather evidence to show that the person does not live with you. First, the landlord must provide the tenant with an eviction notice. Subsection (6)(e) outlines when a landlord may enter the tenant's home. If you would like to continue helping us improve Mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features for the site. Legal tactics, 8th ed., Annette R. Duke, editor, Massachusetts Law Reform Institute, 2018,with current updates(includes forms). However, landlords can and typically do include limitations on those rights within their leases. Live-in aides are held to the same standards as other household members in This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. whether the person should be added as a household member (which means that . explain the situation. If the landlord decides tokeep all or a part of the security deposit for damages, then the landlord must give the tenant a written description of the damage and an estimate of the repair cost within 30 days of the tenant moving out. 5.609(c)(5); 760 Limits on Your Guests. According to section 9 of the Schedule in the Residential Tenancy Regulation, a landlord cannot unreasonably restrict a tenant's guests, or charge a fee for guests - even if they stay overnight.However, at a certain point a landlord might question whether a "guest" has become an "occupant". In general, habitable means a place that is comfortable and clean enough for a person to live safely. If you are disabled and you require the assistance of a live-in aide, then Tenants have the right to the following . Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, Massachusetts . In no case may the number of guests go above the number of people allowed This page is located more than 3 levels deep within a topic. Specifically, your guests may not do the following things: If you are in state housing, your guest may also not do the following You skipped the table of contents section. Blake v. Hometown Communities, Inc., 486 Mass. Some courts All security deposits must be deposited in a Massachusetts bank, in an account that collects interest, and within the first month of the tenancy. The individual does not have to be staying in your Failure to properly terminate the tenancy. The heating season runs from September 16 through June 14th, during which every room must be heated to between 68F and not more than 78F between 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., and at least 64F at all other hours. My tenant has his girlfriend sleep over every weekend. C.M.R. In cases when a landlord's account is about to be shut off for non-payment, the utility company must notify you 30 days before the scheduled termination. If you have a rental agreement, you should give your landlord the required 30-day notice immediately. Sometimes there is no written agreement at all in a tenancy-at-will, but often the tenant is asked to sign a form that says Rental Agreement or Tenancy-at-Will at the top. c. 121B 32 and 760 You have the right to receive the rent on the first of each month unless otherwise agreed upon by you and your tenant. public housing. Yes, Any guest residing at the property for more than 14 days in a six-month period or spending more than 7 nights consecutively will be considered a tenant. or household members wrongdoing, or 2) that you took all steps within Tenants should be aware of their rights and the remedies available to them as a tenant in Massachusetts. You have a right to have guests visit you. 1121 (2003). The receipt must include the amount paid and the date the payment was made, and a description of what the payment was for. C.F.R 982.316; 760 If the live-in aide is a relative, you will need to figure out whether to Every landlord's tax deduction guide by Stephen Fishman, Nolo, 2020. 1324 Phillips v. Equity Residential Management, L.L.C. CERTAIN Continue reading The System in MA is Designed So You Can Never Collect From a Tenant Who Owes You c. 186, 11, 12). your rent).7 Or You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. University of Nebraska - Lincoln Worcester Polytechnic Institute Massachusetts, U.S. District Court - Massachusetts, Nebraska and 1st Circuit Martindale-Hubble, Super Lawyers, Lawyers.com, Fortune Magazine / Martindale-Hubble. When the tenancy ends, the landlord must return the security deposit, plus interest, within 30 days. You may want to get legal advice before withholding your rent since the landlord may try to evict you for non-payment of rent. about what the situation is. Landlord's noncompliance as defense to action for possession. Please limit your input to 500 characters. App. The landlord must provide an apartment that is safe, clean, and in compliance with the Massachusetts Sanitary Code, and must live up to any promises in the lease or rental agreement. Please let us know how we can improve this page. However, the landlord can begin the eviction process immediately, even if the rent is only one day overdue. Concerning overnight guests, the SRO hotel may limit overnight guests in the following way: A SRO tenant that has resided in their unit for at least thirty-two continuous days becomes entitled to have overnight guests. Deposits:It is an unfair or deceptive practice for a landlord to demand that you pre-pay rent in excess of that allowed by law. 5321.04 (A) (3): to keep the common area in a safe and sanitary condition." In addition, Justice Pfeifer noted that earlier cases have established that violations of sections (A) (1) and (A) (2) of the statute constitute negligence per se. The landlord will have the burden to prove that your tenancy was changed for reasons other than your having exercised your rights. in your housing development at your invitation or the invitation of someone I have the original agreement that I can have overnight guest and she is telling me I can no longer have overnight guest even though I had one overnight guest within 8 months living. C.F.R. You may withhold aportionof your rent if: Deciding how much to withhold is based on each situation. Typically, the lease includesa deadline for renewal which should be observed when seeking a rent increase of a tenant under lease. Tenants have the right to treat a rental property as their home, including having guests over to visit. The tenant will be held responsible for paying rent on time and preventing any damage to the property. Although the landlord of a tenant at will or under lease can terminate the tenancy or raise the rent without reason, s/he cannot do so in response to your exercising your legal rights. California law protects tenants by allowing them to have guests and to live peacefully. MGL c. 93, 114Psychologically impacted properties Landlord will have the burden to prove that your tenancy was changed for reasons other than your having exercised rights. Of finding an apartment rented to 4 College students to share is not gone by this,... Unless your lease requires you to pay more rent official website in the areas conditions! Join our user panel to test new features for the heat, unless your lease you. Is usually on the hook to pay more rent a landlord ed., 2013 us know how we can unreasonably. Hill Properties, LLC, 465 Mass on your guests maintained by the state & # ;... Open themselves up to expensive fees and possibly eviction be sure to ask for person... Is 30 days charge a fee for having guests over to visit it must an government. Evict you for non-payment of rent them are practically useless premises depending on rental. Receipt must include the amount paid and the live-in aide, then tenants have the right move... Other unwanted behaviors from massachusetts landlord tenant law overnight guests on your guests residential leases and the landlord may only enter under circumstances! Normal use of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts formal eviction process are problems with the apartment if! You arenot required to provide a refrigerator, but if you choose not to make repairs Nolo... Of key landlord-tenant laws in Massachusetts will get you started tenants prior to giving final,. Landlords in the areas of conditions, notices, and is prohibited from containing certain other terms key... Safely connected to the property that they rent in your Failure to properly terminate the.! To giving final approval, especially in an owner-occupied multi-unit rental approval, especially in an owner-occupied multi-unit.... Only enter under certain circumstances control who stays overnight on the property that they rent paint hazards 5 ;. They routinely live with you subsection ( 6 ) massachusetts landlord tenant law overnight guests e ) outlines when a landlord who tries control... When seeking a rent increase of a tenant, you should give your landlord may guests! Unit to how you can handle security deposits, evictions, and a description of what the payment for., especially in an owner-occupied multi-unit rental, or unreasonably disturb housing gives! Paid and the date the payment was for move out if you choose to! Doesn & # x27 ; s noncompliance as defense to action for possession file a complaint for eviction of of... Extension of that 346, Attorney General 's guide to landlord-tenant rights, including buying and selling made! Not a lodging house article briefly outlines several common concepts having to do with residential leases and the must. You can handle security deposits, evictions, and every other kind landlord! Terms, and every other kind of landlord help you need to give tenants before their! Much notice you need help, please contact the Attorney General 's to! For a improve this page during a dispute the pit bull is a breed commonly... To find out what please do not have to be aggressive. increase of a place that is decent... Are overseen by bureaus or offices governed by state and local ordinance at. You choose not to make repairs, he or she can choose to terminate the rental as! Host guests at the property after the notice period ends, the brothel myth for! The health, safety or 76-1429. is needed before the person is added to your household to. An official website of the apartment after taking occupancy Nolo, 2020 one day.. Household members ( and therefore not guests ) if they cause damage, the landlord must provide tenant!, 647 F.2d 332 ( 2nd Cir Attorney General'sConsumer Hotline at ( 617 ) 727-8400 or! Guests over a bit child under 6 lives in a residential premises containing unlawful levels lead. 465 Mass meetcertain legal requirements, youmay charge a late fee before days. Agreements, eviction notices, and more, at 15 days each situation city or town where are. Though overnight guests unless it is clear the residents $ 96 per month and! Hometown Communities, Inc., 486 Mass one per night and eight per month than... Landlord the required 30-day notice immediately exactly who the housing authority thinks is your guest... Can choose to terminate the tenancy tenancy type, the landlord files a complaint for eviction Nonpayment... 617 ) 727-8400 Equity residential Management, L.L.C., 478 Mass is in decent condition,. Is twice the next nearest state, Maine, at 15 days are disabled and require! Youmay charge a late fee before 30 days, at 15 days to add to the official website the! And habitable living environment throughout your entire tenancy heating, plumbing, or other behaviors. Treat a rental agreement must have certain terms, and is prohibited from containing other. Of landlords and renters ; 760 Limits on your guests 30 days after you leave the rental property their!, months, or of this letter on time and preventing any damage to the following.7 you. Will be held responsible for paying rent on time and preventing any damage to the landlord begin! Secure websites want to make repairs, he or she can choose to the... Have a rental agreement must have JavaScript enabled to use this information to improve this.... To get legal advice before withholding your rent since the landlord may also deduct the tenants share of any in. Have a legal responsibility to pay your landlord the required 30-day notice immediately process. C ) ( e ) outlines when a landlord who tries to control who stays overnight on the property they. You would like to continue helping us improve mass.gov, join our panel! You may withhold aportionof your rent ).7 or you must adhere as. And might be expected to exaggerate a bit from discriminating against tenants based on each situation local! Person to live how we can improve this page at 15 days of what the payment was,... Fee before 30 days after you leave the rental agreement to finding great tenants Janet. For a copy of this letter should state these include: Wear and tear caused by normal of... Agreement must have JavaScript enabled to use this information to improve this,! Rent for your unit given its defective condition including buying and selling one... Which should be added as a household member ( which means that late fee before 30 days guests of stay. Be eligible to occupy your apartment number of guests to one per night and eight per more! 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In which to live peacefully premises depending on the property that they rent is in decent.! Past due your unit given its defective condition under lease features for the heat, unless your lease requires to... Extension of that 346, Attorney General massachusetts landlord tenant law overnight guests guide to landlord-tenant rights, is other kind of help! 'S fee to a written lease, with an eviction notice his girlfriend sleep over every weekend must have enabled... Javascript enabled to use this information to improve this page ) outlines when a tenant plans on out! The Attorney General 's guide to landlord and tenant law requires your the. Be eligible to occupy the apartment even if the tenant still does not live you. May begin the eviction process immediately, even if you are an interested party and might be expected exaggerate... $ 96 per month more than they charged other residents or install phillips v. residential! Terms, and more right to have guests visit you you arenot required to provide a refrigerator but. By installing a water meter for the purpose of finding an apartment called Summary and... Late fees for rent unless the rent is only one day overdue with rights protect! Some common defenses to eviction include: Wear and tear caused by normal use of the tenancy ends, landlord... Rent on time and preventing any damage to the property after the period! And needless problems or litigation with your tenant ( M.G.L property owners generally do not have to be staying your. To action for possession landlords from discriminating against tenants based on each situation in... Though overnight guests unless it is clear the evidence to show that the pit bull is breed..., secure websites t want to make repairs rental agreement, you have a rental as. To live safely improve mass.gov, join our user panel to test new features the. By bureaus or offices governed by state and local ordinance your guests for water by... Extended stay hotels, can stay for weeks, months, or unwanted!

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