September 2, 2021
Helpful info for Tenants
Moving into an apartment or townhome as a new tenant can be an overwhelming process. Because of this, it is important for Tenants to know and understand their rights in Massachusetts, such as:
-
If you are a tenant under lease, the tenant cannot be evicted before the end of the term, unless the tenant violates some provision of the lease
-
If you are a tenant at will, no reason is necessary for the termination of a rental agreement
-
If you are in a subsidized tenancy, you may have different rights and responsibilities than tenants under lease and tenants at will
-
A landlord cannot charge interest or a penalty on late rent until 30 days after the due date. However, the landlord can begin the eviction process immediately, even if the rent is only one day overdue.
You can find more information on tenant rights and resources here. If you are a tenant looking for legal assistance, email us a request for a lawyer (lrs@bostonbar.org) or get referred to a lawyer online instantly here.
