Question: Do I need to hire a lawyer for a landlord/tenant case? Answer: As with all legal questions: it depends. In Massachusetts, a business entity (ex. corporation, limited liability company) must be represented by an attorney in court (except for more »
When a landlord rents an apartment, the landlord remains the owner of the property but grants possession of the premises to the tenant(s). In other words, even though a landlord is still the owner of the property, they no longer have unlimited more »
Question: If I am foreclosed, will I owe the bank any money from my mortgage loan? Answer: After a foreclosure, the bank is entitled to collect any deficiency judgment owed following the foreclosure sale. The deficiency judgment is the difference between more »
Massachusetts eviction law allows a tenant to ask the court to delay their move-out from the property. This is commonly referred to as a “stay of execution.” An execution is the formal court document that permits a landlord to obtain possession of more »
I’m willing to bet that among the frequently asked questions on landlord/tenant law, the following is at the top of the list: “If my tenant is not paying his or her rent, can I change the locks of the apartment? more »
Mediation is an excellent option for anyone involved in a landlord/tenant dispute. This form of alternative dispute resolution can help parties in these cases save enormous time and money. Mediation is an opportunity for the parties in a case to more »
Evictions in Massachusetts are known as “summary process.” The goal of summary process is found in Rule 1 of the Uniform Rules of Summary Process: “the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every summary process action.” In other words, summary process more »
The New York Times reports that evictions are on the rise across the United States, including Massachusetts, where eviction filings increased 11% between 2010 to 2013. The rise in these cases poses challenges not only to the parties in these cases, but also to more »
In landlord/tenant cases, “cash-for-keys” often comes up as a popular means of settling an eviction case. In a cash-for-keys settlement, the landlord agrees to pay the tenant(s) a sum of money to leave the premises by a required deadline. The more »
