Frequently Asked Questions

Have landlording questions? You’re not alone. Our site is full of articles, trainings and other resources designed to provide the answers you need on a wide variety of topics. Use our search function or scan this page to find exactly what you need.

Can’t find what you’re looking for? Have a suggestion for an article or training? Email us at hello@masslandlords.net and tell us your idea!

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How do I use the search function to find the specific information I need?

Our search function is basic and easy to use. Once you are logged in, simply click on the “search” field in the upper right corner. It’s the long white box with a magnifying glass next to it. Type the term you are wanting information on (for example, “housing court” or “hoarding”). Scroll through the results to read the article or page that best suits your needs.

Our laws, resources and policy pages are also excellent places to start skimming and reading if you aren’t sure exactly what you’re looking for. You can learn more about these pages below.

Membership & Billing

How much is membership and how often do I have to pay dues?

The price of membership depends on which membership level is suggested for you based on your billing zip code and the number of units you own or manage. Visit our Join page for details and to calculate your dues.

How do I become a member or renew my membership?

  1. On MassLandlords.net click “Join” which is located towards the upper right corner of the page.
  2. Once you arrive on the Join page, you can calculate your membership dues by entering in the number of units you own or manage and in what county.
  3. After entering in your total number of units specified by county, the orange “Join for $X/Year” button will automatically populate with your yearly dues price.
  4. Click this orange “Join for $X/Year” button to proceed to the checkout page.
  5. Once arriving on the checkout page all you will have to do is fill in your information and click “Submit” at the bottom of the page.
  6. After check out, you will be given information on optional add-ons to your membership: Helpline Coverage, Property Rights Supporter contributions, and our Print Newsletter. You can add these to your membership or decline.
  7. Finally, you will end on the confirmation page. This means that your membership and add-on transactions, if applicable, have gone through, and you will be receiving a welcome email shortly.

How do I cancel my membership?

If you last paid by check and you do not want to continue membership, your account will automatically lapse when your membership expires.

If you currently have an auto-renew subscription and do not want to continue membership, you can cancel by:

  1. Logging in and heading to the My Account section.
  2. Scroll down to the “Subscriptions” or "Custom Subscriptions" section.
  3. Click “cancel” next to your membership subscription.

You will still have access to all MassLandlords.net member benefits until your current subscription expires.

Are dues deductible? Can you send me a receipt for the dues or donation?

Talk with an accountant for your specific tax situation, but MassLandlords payments are usually 100% deductible on your Schedule E “other ordinary and necessary expenses” as “trade association membership” or “training and seminars.” This includes amounts earmarked for lobbying.

If any of your dues or Property Rights Supporter donations are used for lobbying, we pay the federal proxy tax on those amounts in our association’s year-end taxes. This simplifies your accounting. You can deduct 100% as a business expense. Talk with your accountant.

Due to the large volume of checks received, we do not send receipts by mail. You can get a receipt automatically when you pay via credit card on the site. You can get a physical receipt when you pay in-person at an event. For check donations, your canceled check is your receipt.

Our legal name is MassLandlords, Inc. We are located at 1 Broadway, Floor 14, Cambridge, MA 02142-1184. Our employer identification number is 22-2606893.

How do I update my billing information and/or credit card?

If you have a Grandfathered Membership, Property Rights Subscription, or Newsletter Subscription (found under the “Subscriptions” section on the “My Account” page) you can update your billing info as follows:

  • login to MassLandlords.net and click the “My Account” section, which is found at the top right of any page.
  • Scroll down and find the section that says “Subscriptions.”
  • Look to the right of that section - there will be a small black link that says “Update Billing Details” (it is somewhat small and can be easy to miss - we’re hoping we can change this in the future).

If you have a Custom Price Per Unit subscription (found under the “Custom Subscriptions” section on the “My Account” page), you currently cannot update billing information online. Please email us at hello@masslandlords.net, and we’ll assist you.

MassLandlords Organization & Policies

What is MassLandlords?

MassLandlords is the largest nonprofit organization for Massachusetts landlords.  We are a 501(c)6 nonprofit trade association. We are democratically governed by members through our ongoing policy priorities survey and our annual election for Board of Directors.

Our mission is to create better rental housing in Massachusetts by helping current, new and prospective landlords run profitable, compliant and quality businesses. To this end, we organize opportunities for landlord education and networking and advocate appropriate changes to the laws.

To learn more click here.

What is MassLandlords’ Refund Policy?

If in your opinion any fee or renewal fee was charged in error, you may submit a claim to MassLandlords by emailing a description of the fee, the date it was charged, and any and all relevant information with regards to the fee and your suspected error to hello@masslandlords.net. MassLandlords, in its sole discretion, may issue a refund to the credit card you have on record with MassLandlords. Except in extenuating circumstances, we will not issue refunds after 30 days from date of charge.

All memberships start on autorenew. You can cancel autorenew at any time. You are responsible for deactivating autorenew if you do not want it. You can do this on the Account page.

We are not refunded for our transaction costs even if we refund you. Any request to refund a preventable autorenew transaction will result in a 9% hold-back for payment processing. If you do not wish to lose 9%, stop autorenew before you are charged.

This article is intended to be a summary of the terms and conditions. If this is out of date, please let us know; the terms will always prevail.

Does MassLandlords.net accept sponsored or guest blog posts?

No, unless you are a landlord in Massachusetts or an advertiser, we do not allow sponsored blog posts or guest posts.

Forms

Where can I find and download MassLandlords rental forms?

Including: rental agreement checklists; tenancy at will, fixed-term and self-extending leases/rental agreements; notice to quit forms; no-smoking policy forms, and more.

Members can access all forms and addendums, including the popular ones listed above and more, on our forms page.

Rights & Resources

Where can I find information on landlord–tenant laws?

Including: abandoned property, application fees, discrimination, eviction, hoarding, insurance, late fees, lead paint, marijuana, the state Sanitary Code, Section 8, security deposits, utilities and more.

Not sure what law you’re looking for? A list of all covered laws, including the ones listed above, and more, can be found on our laws page. This includes articles we’ve written on laws, plain-language explainers of laws, and direct links to state statutes.

Where can I find more information on proposed, current and past housing policy?

Including: eviction sealing, RAFT, rent control, and TOPA.

All relevant policy topics, including the ones listed above and more, may be found on our policy page.

Where can I find resources on specific and everyday landlord–tenant matters?

Including: energy efficiency, estate planning, investments, marijuana growing, marketing and advertising, market conditions, security systems and more.

Anything you can think of and more! Find answers to everyday questions about rental housing, tenant relations, and being a landlord on our resources page. Includes articles and video trainings!

Where can I find information on state and local official operations?

Start here: buying or selling occupied property, housing court, inspections, self-representation in court, and taxes or use our search function.

Service Providers

Where can I find information on finding a service provider in my area?

Including: attorneys, contractors, constables and sheriffs, exterminators, lawyers and people to do repairs and renovations.

MassLandlords Members can search for service providers here: Service Provider Directory.

Local Government & Advocacy

Where can I find information on voting methods?

A voting methods section and other helpful resources can be found on our resources page.

Where can I find information on legal matters?

A legal section and other helpful resources can be found on our resources page.

How do I contact my local government office, Rep or Senator?

A Government section and other helpful resources can be found on our resources page.

How can we change the laws?

We need members and non-members to help us start dusting off the cobwebs of Massachusetts housing law. Click here to become a property rights supporter.

Regional & Market-Specific Information

Where can I find regional information for my properties?

You can find regional information on our regional page.

Where can I find Massachusetts related information?

You can find a Massachusetts section and other helpful resources on our resources page.

Events & Education

Where can I find information on networking and training events?

We have a full write-up on our rental real estate networking and training page.

Where can I find video trainings?

Business updates, as well as video trainings on eviction sealing, tenant screening, deleading and more can be found our video page.

Where can I purchase a ticket to an event?

All active events that can be purchased or registered for will be listed at the ticket table found on our events page.

Click the corresponding “public” or “member” orange ticket button based on your membership status.

Are MassLandlords virtual meetings and webinars recorded?

Virtual meetings include optional audience participation via video, phone and screenshare and are not. Webinars have limited participation options (typed questions only) and are.

Past recordings can be found on our Past Meeting Videos page.

How can I become a speaker at a MassLandlords event?

If you’re interested in becoming a speaker at one of our events, your presentation must conform to our guidelines which can be found here. If your presentation fits within our guidelines, feel free to submit your request to speak by emailing us at hello@masslandlords.net.

Why aren’t Zoom meetings free? Why is there a charge for virtual events and webinars?

We price dues to be affordable for the smallest landlord. This price is not enough to fund our policy operations and services like events. Events in particular are very expensive. We pay for a professional Zoom subscription and video transcripts for recorded events. And we have additional cost in the form of staff time. We have to prepare speakers, moderate the event, and enforce our “no sales pitch” guarantee. There are lots of free real estate events out there, they tend to attract sharks selling thousand-dollar systems. Our events are strictly educational/organizational.

Technical Support & Website Navigation

How do I login?

If you are an active member in good standing, you can login to MassLandlords.net and access all of your member benefits by following these steps:

  • Navigate to the. This page can also be located by clicking the “My Account” link at the top right corner of all MassLandlords.net pages.
  • Once on the login page, enter your email that you signed up for MassLandlords with, enter your password, and click login.
  • If you don’t remember signing up, try the email address you gave to your local landlord group.
  • If you don’t remember your password, click the “Forgot Password” link and follow the directions. If you don’t receive an email with your password within 30 minutes, check your spam, otherwise your account may be lapsed or expired.

If you are not a member yet or you need to renew, click here to calculate your dues. Once calculated, use the orange buttons to navigate to the purchase page where you’ll submit your order.

If none of this helps contact us and we’ll get you logged in.

How do I access a live virtual meeting or webinar?

You will be sent an email with the Zoom information immediately after purchase as well as on the day of the event. Make sure to check spam if you don't see it in your main inbox.

Additionally, the Zoom details and password to each specific virtual meeting or webinar that you have purchased will be found on the password page.

If you experience any technical difficulties, our Virtual Registration desk is open for 1 hour starting 30 minutes before the start of the event and can be reached by emailing hello@masslandlords.net.

How do I gain access to the MassLandlords Message Board and Facebook Group?

Join as a member for Google Group message board access. You will automatically be added to your local board within 1-3 business days.

Click here to join the Facebook Group. Once requested, if your membership is active, you will be approved within 1-3 business days.

Didn’t get access? Need help? Want to be a part of additional Google groups? Contact us.

Read more about the groups on our forum page.

How do I change my email, phone number, address and my other MassLandlords account details?

To update your contact information, units owned, phone preferences, and more:

  1. Login to MassLandlords.net.
  2. Once you’re logged in, click “My Account” located in the upper right corner of every MassLandlords.net page.
  3. In the “My Account” page, you may update your information as you please by clicking the small blue ‘update’ buttons in each section.

How can I edit a page in the directory?

You must be the author of a page. You will automatically have edit permission if you created the page. Look for the orange “Edit” button at upper right.

Other people may have created a page about you. For instance, members can add service providers in order to recommend them. Staff can add landlords or service providers based on message board interactions.

If you see a page about your business that you didn’t create, email hello@masslandlords.net with a link to the page you wish to claim. Claim requests will be automatically approved for members whose name or company match the page they are seeking to claim.

Note that you cannot claim a page about someone else. If you wish to make a correction to a service provider’s page, email hello@masslandlords.net and we will suggest the correction to the page owner.

How do I point out an inaccuracy in an article or a post on MassLandlords.net?

We want to hear your input. Send us an email to hello@masslandlords.net and we’ll review your correction. Thank you!

I can’t figure out your website and/or can’t find what I’m looking for.

Having trouble navigating our website or finding what you are looking for? Send us an email to hello@masslandlords.net or call and leave us a voicemail at 774-314-1896 and let us know what you need. One of us will return your call or email as soon as possible.

Membership Benefits

How do I receive my Home Depot Discount?

MassLandlords members in good standing save on average 7.5% at Home Depot stores and online, all departments including kitchen and bath, lumber, flooring, plumbing, paint and more.

Login to your MassLandlords.net account and navigate to the Home Depot page to enroll as a Home Depot Purchaser.

How do I receive my SmartScreen Discount?

If you are an active member in good standing, begin by logging into MassLandlords.net. Navigate to the “Member Home” page in the top menu bar. Scroll down until you reach the Tenant Screening section and all of the info you need is there.

How do I become a Certified Massachusetts Landlord™?

Information on the Certified Massachusetts Landlord™ program can be found on the certification page.

Complaints & Dispute Resolution

Where can I find information on filing a complaint against a housing agency in my area?

Including housing agencies such as: SMOC, CMHA, LHAND, Neighbor Works Housing Solutions, RCAP Solutions, Metro Housing Boston, Wayfinders, Housing Assistance Corp. (HAC), Berkshire Housing Development Corp., Franklin Country Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority, and Community Teamwork (CTI).

Did you know these organizations are awarded rental subsidy administration contracts without competitive bidding each year? If you have a complaint, we understand!

We are currently taking sworn affidavits from renters unfairly denied rental assistance, particularly where the organization says documents have not been uploaded. Please email us at hello@masslandlords.net.

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