Tenants' Rights in Massachusetts: Private Housing

The chapters below are from Legal Tactics: Tenants' Rights in Massachusetts. This handbook provides practical information about tenants' rights in private housing—housing that is owned by an individual or a privately owned company.

We are in the process of updating this handbook. Most chapters are from the 2008 edition. As we update chapters we are posting them. Our hope is to complete the updating by January 2016.

In each chapter, reference is made to sample letters and court forms. To get these forms see the list below or go to Self Help Forms where these same forms are organized by topic.

If you live in public housing, go to the Public Housing section. You may also purchase Legal Tactics from Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education by calling 1-800-966-6253.

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Acknowledgements (2008)

Using Legal Tactics (2008)

Before Moving In (2008)

Security Deposits (2013)

Tenancy (2008)

Rents (2008)

Utilities (2008)

Discrimination (2008)

Getting Repairs Made (2008)

Lead Poisoning (2008)

Getting Organized (2008)

Receiverships (2008)

Moving Out (2008)

Evictions (2014)

Taking Your Landlord to Court (2008)

Using the Court System (2008)

Getting (& Preventing) Access to Information (2008)

Rooming Houses (2008)

Mobile Homes (2008)

Condominium Control (2008)

Chapter 21 Tenants Facing Foreclosure

Glossary (2008)

Directory (2008)

Self Help Forms and Letters

One of the most important steps you can take as a tenant is to put your concerns in writing. This may mean writing a letter, filing court papers, or putting together documents that help tenants organize.

Booklets 1-9 are for tenants who are facing an eviction. Forms 1-31 are a series of checklists, sample letters, and useful forms that are referenced in the chapters above. These forms are organized by topic at Self Help Forms.