Newly Updated Lease and Tenancy at Will Forms Available for Members

Newly updated rental agreement forms for both a standard lease and tenancy at will are now available to members on our forms page in the Rental Agreements section.

Do you prefer a fixed-term lease, or a month-to-month (tenancy at will) agreement? Both have been updated to reflect changes to the law and current best practices. (Image License: CC BY-SA 4.0 MassLandlords, Inc.)

Version 9.2 of each agreement contains important updates and additions to keep the rental agreements in line with current laws and best practices. (Note: The prior lease agreement was version 8; we have jumped to 9.2 so both the standard lease and tenancy at will agreements have the same version numbers.)

New Language Clarifies Limits on Broker Fees, Move-In Monies

Updates include a change in verbiage to clear up a gray area surrounding broker fees when a renter breaks the lease early. This ensures landlords are operating on the right side of the law, even though the so-called broker fee ban enacted in 2025 does not address this specific scenario.

Note: A recent settlement between the attorney general’s office and Green Ocean Property Management appears to allow broker fees as a penalty for breaking a lease early. If you choose to add this clause back in based on this settlement, please let us know how it goes.

There’s also a section stipulating that the agreement is contingent upon any collected move-in money clearing the bank. In other words, if a renter’s check for first month’s rent, last month’s rent and/or the security deposit bounces, you may void the full agreement if necessary.

Save the Environment and Your Plumbing

Other additions include information on how to deal with the removal of invasive plant and insect species on the property. This clause comes after discussion with an ecologist at the Native Plant Trust and utilizes current best practices regarding invasive species.

We’ve also added warnings against flushable wipes and other dissolvable microplastics. Though they are branded as flushable, these wipes can wreak havoc on plumbing, sewers and septic systems. “Dissolvable” microplastic products often do not fully dissolve, which can lead to clogs and expensive service calls.

Renter Responsibility in Key Areas Clarified

We’ve updated our lease and tenancy at will forms with language that prevents the renter from re-assigning the rental agreement to someone else. There’s also verbiage surrounding trash collection (bins must be brought in from the curb after pickup).

A final addition lets renters know that if they have received a notice of nonrenewal, remaining in the unit after the lease expires could be grounds for a for-cause eviction, instead of a no-fault/no-cause-stated eviction. Consult with an attorney before utilizing this clause.

These forms are available for immediate download, free of charge for all members in good standing. Lapsed members can renew online.