Future renters in Massachusetts are in for transparency starting on Sept. 2. The state can now enforce its new "junk fee" regulations. The change requires businesses in the commonwealth to be upfront about hidden fees. This means consumers will now know the total cost...
Massachusetts tenant rights and lease laws offer robust protections that every renter should know, especially with notable updates coming into effect in August 2025. Here’s what matters most: Key Tenant Rights in Massachusetts 1. Right to Habitable Housing Landlords...
For years, long-term Massachusetts renters were seen as the ideal tenants—steady, reliable, low-maintenance. But now, many of those same renters are finding themselves blindsided by eviction notices that come with no explanation and no warning. It’s not because...
Signing a Massachusetts lease feels like locking in peace of mind. Pay rent on time, don’t throw wild parties, and all should be fine—right? But hidden in the fine print are rules that many tenants break without even knowing. These aren’t major offenses, but they can...
Moving to a new home is usually a stressful and expensive process, but starting Aug. 1, it’s going to look a little different for renters across Massachusetts. As of that date, renters will no longer be required to pay a fee to the realtor who brokered their lease...
Signing a Massachusetts rental lease should never feel like stepping into a trap, but far too many tenants discover too late that they’ve agreed to conditions that cost them dearly. Hidden within the dense language of a lease agreement can be clauses that strip away...
Massachusetts' new law eliminates renter-paid broker fees except when the tenant specifically hires a broker. Why it matters: Renting in a high-cost city is hard enough without tacking another month's worth of rent to pay a broker they didn't contract before starting...
Thousands of Massachusetts residents gained a new online tool in the search for stable housing as a law took effect allowing eligible tenants to have their past eviction records sealed. The new law is intended to remove a major barrier to housing stability. Eviction...
Cambridge human rights officials urged professionals in the real estate industry to avoid disadvantaging rental applicants with government vouchers in a webinar Tuesday, telling The Crimson in interviews after the event that the city is seeing “a rise in complaints”...
As of 2025, Massachusetts does not have a statewide limit on how much landlords can raise rent. Landlords are legally allowed to increase rent by any amount and as often as they wish, provided they follow proper notification procedures and do not discriminate or...