An Act Lowering the Cost of Housing and Freeing the Skilled Trades to Retrofit Zero Emissions Heating Systems
Summary
This bill would sustain licensing requirements for plumbing and electrical work, except in very limited circumstances where an existing residential system will be like-for-like replaced with a new component. In these limited cases, passing an online test will be sufficient for a landlord or contractor to make a repair. Gas and refrigerant, and all service lines and breaker boxes, are excluded.
Supported by Staff
MassLandlords staff drafted or participated materially in the creation of bill text below. Members will be polled at the next update of the policy priorities survey.Bill Text May Change
The legislative process involves many changes to most bills. Our goal with bill explainers like this is to communicate core concepts assuming final wording is beyond our control. If you feel we missed or misunderstood a core concept about this bill, please contribute to this explainer by emailing hello@masslandlords.net or by using the support widget on this page. Pointing out typos or poor drafting is appreciated on green bills (we wrote or support).Full Text of the Like-for-Like DIY Bill
To be posted.
Explanation of the Like-for-Like DIY Bill
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Actual Bill Text
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Meaning and significance |
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An Act Lowering the Cost of Housing and Freeing the Skilled Trades to Retrofit Zero Emissions Heating Systems
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If landlords can conduct our own simple repairs, we won't have to charge so much rent to cover plumbing and electrical bills. Also, these skilled trades can focus on much harder problems, like electrical service upgrades and heat pump installations. |
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1. Notwithstanding Chapters 141 of 142 of the General Laws, the board of state examiners of electricians and the board of state examiners of plumbers shall promulgate regulations authorizing certain additional individuals to carry out "like for like" replacement of certain electrical and plumbing components;
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The current law for electrical and plumbing licenses is found in Chapters 141 and Chapters 142. The regulatory bodies in each are a "board of examiners." This law and these boards prevent landlords and handypeople from touching electrical and plumbing systems without a license. This law would allow us to touch these systems in "like for like" replacement. |
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provided that the owner or owners of a residential building or dwelling unit, regardless of whether owner-occupant, or their agent or agents, or any person offering handyservices to the general public, shall be eligible for authorization;
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Landlords and contractors of all kinds would be eligible. |
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provided further that there shall be a test of competence for the person authorized online or similar to (the low risk deleading https://www.mass.gov/service-details/learn-about-low-risk-deleading );
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You would need to pass a test, same as for low-risk deleading. |
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provided further that one authorization shall be valid for a period of time of at least five years rather than for a specific replacement;
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Once you pass the test, you have five years to work. |
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provided further that this authorization shall be renewable;
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After five years, you can take the most recent test and re-qualify. |
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provided further that the list of items authorized for replacement shall include only the following: electrical outlets and faceplates, wall switches and faceplates, ceiling fan switches and faceplates, interior and exterior light fixtures, doorbells and doorbell wires, in-wall electrical lines up to 220 volts, in-wall coaxial cable, in-wall telephone lines, in-wall internet lines, toilet hookups and drains, toilets, toilet wax rings, toilet flanges, bidets, sink faucets and drains, tub and shower taps and valves, water shut-off valves, water supply lines, plastic drains, exterior spigots, electric water heater electrical lines and drains and domestic water input and output, dishwasher electrical and plumbing connections, washer and dryer plumbing and electrical connections, refrigerator plumbing and electrical connections, electrical stove lines and mechanical ventilation, and radiators and electrical and plumbing connections;
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The intent is to allow landlords to do everything we'd need to do to keep an existing rental property in good repair. We would not be allowed to put in new bathrooms, rearrange kitchens, or do any new construction. |
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provided further, that nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to permit the replacement or alteration of any methane gas, oil, kerosene or other fossil fuel line;
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All the explosive stuff still requires a license. |
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provided further, that nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to permit the replacement or alteration of any refrigerant line;
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All the greenhouse gas stuff still requires a license. |
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provided further, that nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to permit the new installation of any system or line described herein except as authorized under under Chapters 141 and 142;
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This sentence repeats what we already understand from the list above: no new construction. |
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finally, that nothing in this Act shall be construed so as to waive any permitting requirement.
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Even if you pass the test, you still must pull a permit. You would be pulling the permit yourself, or your handyperson would. There will still be an inspection after if the town wants. |
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2. The Department of Public Health shall treat electrical and plumbing work carried out in compliance with this Act as sufficient under its minimum standards of fitness for human habitation.
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Repairs carried out by landlords or handypeople would count for sanitary code compliance. |
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3. Section 7 of Chapter 141 is hereby amended, by inserting at the end of the final sentence the following: “; persons authorized by the examiners to conduct like-for-like replacement of existing residential systems.”
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The electrical law has clear exemptions; we would add our exemption here. The plumbing law has no comparable list of exemptions to edit. |
