Tenants' Rights in Massachusetts: Private Housing

Produced by Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
Last updated March 2018

The chapters below are from Legal Tactics: Tenants' Rights in Massachusetts, 2017. This handbook provides practical information about tenants' rights in private housing—housing that is owned by an individual or a privately-owned company.

Each chapter begins with a 2-page handout with highlights of the chapter. The handout is also available as a separate PDF. Below find self-help eviction booklets and forms referenced in each chapter.

You may also purchase Legal Tactics from Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education by calling 1-800-966-6253.

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Chapters and 2-page Handouts

Chapter 1 Moving In (April 2018)

Handout 1 Moving In (June 2017)

Handout 2 Tenant Screening (June 2017)

Chapter 2 Tenant Screening (June 2017)

Chapter 3 Security Deposit (April 2018)

Handout 3 Security Deposit (June 2017)

Chapter 4 Tenancies (June 2017)

Handout 4 Tenancies (June 2017)

Chapter 5 Rent (June 2017)

Handout 5 Rent (June 2017)

Chapter 6 Utilities (June 2017)

Handout 6 Utilities (June 2017)

Chapter 7 Discrimination (June 2017)

Handout 7 Discrimination (June 2017)

Chapter 8 Getting Repairs Made (June 2017)

Handout 8 Getting Repairs Made (June 2017)

Chapter 9 Lead Poisoning (June 2017)

Handout 9 Lead Poisoning (June 2017)

Chapter 10 Getting Organized (June 2017)

Handout 10 Getting Organized (June 2017)

Chapter 11 Moving Out (June 2017)

Handout 11 Moving Out (June 2017)

Handout 12 Evictions (June 2017)

Chapter 12 Evictions (June 2017)

Chapter 13 Taking Landlords to Court (June 2017)

Handout 13 Taking Landlords to Court (June 2017)

Chapter 14 Using the Court System (June 2017)

Handout 14 Using the Court System (June 2017)

Chapter 15 Rooming Houses (June 2017)

Handout 15 Rooming Houses (June 2017)

Chapter 16 Mobile Homes (June 2017)

Handout 16 Mobile Homes (June 2017)

Chapter 17 Condos (June 2017)

Handout 17 Condos (June 2017)

Chapter 18 Foreclosures (June 2017)

Handout 18 Foreclosures (June 2017)

Last updated May 2019

Booklets

Booklet 1 Representing Yourself (June 2017)

Booklet 2 Housing Code Checklist (June 2017) An easy-to-use checklist that tells you what the minimum legal requirements for rental housing are under the State Sanitary Code.

Booklet 3 The Answer (February 16, 2018) The Answer is a court form that tenants facing evictions can file with the court to outline your legal claims and tell the court your side of the story. Also see Greater Boston Legal Services' free self-help guided interview, MADE. The interview is based on Booklet 3. It asks you questions and helps you build the Answer you need to file at court.

Booklet 4 Discovery (June 2017) A form with instructions for tenants facing eviction to use to request information from the landlord to prepare for your trial.

Booklet 4A Tenant Foreclosure Discovery (May 2019)

Booklet 5 Transfer (April 23, 2019) A form you can file to transfer your eviction case from a District Court to a Housing Court.

Booklet 6 Removing Default (June 2017)

Booklet 7 Appeals (June 2017) If you lost your eviction trial and think you have a good case, you may appeal. This document tells you which Appeal form to use.

Booklet 7A Appeals In All Housing Courts (June 2017)
This is the appeal form to use if you lost your eviction case in a Massachusetts Housing Court or Superior Court.

Booklet 7B Appeals In All District Courts (June 2017)
This is the appeal form to use if you lost your eviction case in a District Court.

Booklet 8 Stay (June 2017) A form tenants can use to ask a court for more time to move if you lost your eviction case or agreed to a court judgment to move out.

Booklet 9 Affidavit of Indigency (June 2017)

Booklet 10 Negotiating a Settlement of Your Case (March 2018) includes a worksheet and stipulation forms to use when you go to court. Read this booklet as webpages and watch the videos!

Booklet 11 Error Correction Booklet (June 2017) Correcting Errors in Your Online Court Record. Booklet includes the court form you can save to your computer, fill out, save again and print when ready.

Produced by Massachusetts Law Reform Institute with assistance from Massachusetts Legal Services Programs
Last updated November 2017

Forms Checklists and Letters

Form 1 Moving In Checklist (June 2017)

Form 2 Sample Rent Receipt (June 2017)

Form 3 Statement of Condition (June 2017)

Form 4 Security Deposit Last Months Rent Receipt (June 2017)

Form 5 Security Deposit Demand Letter (June 2017)

Form 6 Security Deposit Demand Tenants (June 2017)

Form 7 Ilness Utility Doctors (June 2017)

Form 8 Illness Utility Forms for Doctors (June 2017)

Form 9 Repair Letter (June 2017)

Form 10 Repair Demand (June 2017)

Form 11 Inspection Request (June 2017)

Form 12 Rent Withholding (June 2017)

Form 13 Repair and Deduct (June 2017)

Form 14 Tenant Petition (June 2017)

Form 15 Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) (June 2017) You can use this form to ask a court to order your landlord to correct a problem, like making an emergency repair, or stop doing something illegal like locking you out of your apartment.

Form 16 Tenant Lead Law (June 2017)

Form 17 Moving Out Checklist (June 2017)

Form 18 Lockout Demand (June 2017) Use this form if you have been locked out of your apartment illegally, or if your landlord has shutoff your utilities illegally.

Form 19 Summary Process (June 2017)

Form 20 Motion to Dismiss (June 2017)

Form 21 Sample Execution (June 2017)

Form 22 Tenant Survey (June 2017)

Form 23 Sample Collective Bargaining Agreement (June 2017)

Form 24 Sample Resolution (June 2017)

Form 25 Sample Organizing Petition (June 2017)

Form 26 Conditions Rent Tender Letter (June 2017)

Form 27 Organizing Flier (June 2017)

Form 28 Organizing Letter to Owner (June 2017)

Form 29 Organizing Press Release (June 2017)

Form 30 Organizing Meeting Agenda (June 2017)