The Appeals Court issued an important decision this week clarifying when “pet rent” is allowed in Massachusetts. “Pet rent”, as I refer to it, is additional rent that a landlord charges a tenant for allowing a pet in a rental more »
Renting out a home for the first time can be an eye-opening experience for many new landlords. Few realize how many laws and regulations cover landlord-tenant matters in Massachusetts, and the repercussions if a landlord fails to follow the law. more »
Evicting a section 8 tenant is a process that generally follows the usual steps for a Massachusetts eviction, but with several extra requirements. Special care must be given towards following these added steps of the process. Section 8 Overview Section more »
No-fault evictions are the process used to evict tenants at will, where the landlord or tenant has the option of ending the tenancy at any time, with proper notice. Here, I’ll discuss three things to know about no-fault evictions. No-Fault more »
Most are familiar with the general idea that a landlord can evict a tenant for staying past a lease term, not paying rent, or violating a lease requirement. Massachusetts, however, has a lesser known law available for early eviction cases, more »
Rent escrow refers to the holding of rent money while a legal matter is ongoing. The questions most commonly asked about rent escrow in Massachusetts are when, and how, it is allowed. Rent Escrow Before An Eviction Case Without a more »
Cash for keys is a popular alternative to the formal eviction process in Massachusetts. As an incentive for tenants to voluntarily leave a rental property, landlords can offer tenants money to move. Often, such deals can save landlords significant time more »
Evictions for lease violations occur when a landlord wishes to evict a tenant for violating the lease term, other than non-payment of rent. Such cases are similar in many ways to other eviction cases but come with several differences that more »
On the issue of landlord liability for dogs, a recent Appeals Court decision keeps landlords out of the doghouse for some of the problems that can arise from a tenant’s pets. The full decision, Creatini v. McHugh, is included below. more »
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, new state requirements now exist for the service of non-payment of rent notices to quit. This includes a required attestation form and the filing of the notice to quit with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Eviction more »
