News Archives - MassLandlords.net

Testimony opposed to Homesharing as drafted. 194 S.992 H.1473 An Act to expand housing opportunities through homesharing.

Posted on August 3rd, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

MassLandlords. Better communities. Better Policy. Better Lives. Our legal purpose is to create better rental housing. Testimony opposed to Homesharing as drafted. H.1473 An Act to expand housing opportunities through homesharing. S.992 An Act to expand housing options through homesharing. Prepared for The Joint Committee on Housing, General Court care of Luke O'Roark, luke.oroark@mahouse.gov, Meg Ribera, meg.ribera@masenate.gov. July 23, 2025.

The homesharing bills as drafted would allow 3-day evictions, would not require going to court, and would open the door to economic subservience and other social ills.

MassLandlords Submits Testimony in Support of RAFT Conditional on Public Records

Posted on July 31st, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Click the pdf to read the text. This image contains a preview of the pdf showing the one-page letter with signature of Doug Quattrochi.

MassLandlords will only support the RAFT program if it contains a provision that its records are public records, insofar as they describe the address the public is paying for.

Can Landlords Charge Move-Out and Item Removal Fees in Massachusetts?

Posted on July 29th, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A residential garage space is full of old furniture and some tools and other items. A green lawn chair sits front and center in front of an old desk or workbench.

Billing your former tenants for trash removal, abandoned items or other move-out costs may be lawful, but use caution.

Avoid Court and Costly Legal Fees with the MassLandlords Helpline aka Hotline or Mediation Service

Posted on July 29th, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

An old fashioned red cat clock sits on a beige wall. Blue Post-It notes surround the cat with statements such as “Security Deposit Violation” and “ESA?” in block letters, representing landlord concerns.

This member benefit acts as a hotline that can offer business advice to help you mediate with tenants, avoid court, and make better use of expensive attorneys.

Letter from the Executive Director for August 2025: Politics, Ugh

Posted on July 29th, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Our Letter from the Executive Director for August 2025 looks at changes happening legislatively.

Rent Control Hearing Tuesday, July 29 (194 S.1447 Jehlen, Gomez)

First Published July 28th, 2025 | Updated July 29th, 2025 Posted in News - 8 Comments

Landlord Donna Javorski cries before the rent control board as her husband Emil tries to comfort her.

Rent control as proposed by Senator Patricia Jehlen would defund towns, hurt good renters, hurt good landlords, decrease property maintenance and be cruel.

“Broker Fee Ban” Signed into Law via Budget; Zillow Application Fees Apparently Banned

Posted on July 16th, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

FY 2026 Budget Conference Committee. About this step. The House and Senate appoint three members each to a "Conference Committee" to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate proposals. One member of the minority party must be appointed by each branch. The Conference Committee reports a final compromise bill to the House and Senate for a final vote of acceptance in each branch. Conference Report H.4240 Download PDF.

The Massachusetts Fiscal Year 2026 budget enacted a new change to broker fees for rental housing, sometimes called a broker fee ban. We review it and answer frequently asked questions.

Housing Court Standing Order 1-23 Being Enforced: Separate Piece of Paper for Each Occupant at Tier 1

Posted on June 30th, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

Mass.gov. Legal & Justice. Massachusetts rules of court and standing orders. Massachusetts Housing Court Standing Orders. Offered by Housing Court. Massachusetts Court System. This is a part of Massachusetts Housing Court Standing Orders. Housing Court Rules. Standing Orders. Interim Housing Court Standing Order 1-23: Continuation of temporary modifications to court operations. Adopted Date: 04/03/2023. Effective Date: 06/05/2023. Referenced Sources: MGL c. 211B, Section 10. MGL c. 185C, Section 8a. Issued April 3, 2023, effective June 5, 2023.

Make sure you are serving the Tier 1 eviction notice multiple times, once for each occupant.

If You Own or Are Thinking About Buying Mass. Coastal Property, Learn About Flood Risk, AMOC and Other Factors

Posted on June 25th, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

A dark room with blue lights frames a screen showing the title screen of Inundation District. The tagline is, ‘In a time of rising tides and intensifying storms, what happens when a vulnerable city builds by the sea? Its new Innovation District becomes one of the worlds’ most imperiled neighborhoods, known as the Inundation District.” A film by David Abel, Ted Blanco. The film has been nominated for or won seven awards, the emblems of which are not all legible, including the Woods Hole Film Festival.

Investors and residents of coastal Massachusetts communities are buying into a smorgasbord of increasing flood risks from substantial to catastrophic. Protect your investment.

Now May be the Ideal Time to Convert to Heat Pump Water Heaters in Your Homes and Owner-Occupied Rentals

Posted on June 25th, 2025 Posted in News - 0 Comments

a composite of three photos: 1) a washing machine; 2) a pot with boiling water; 3) a running kitchen faucet.

Is your water heater showing signs of aging? Take advantage of financial incentives while they’re available and replace it with a heat pump model.