The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that the proposed statewide rent control ballot question cannot appear on the November ballot. Learn what the decision means for Massachusetts landlords, why the proposal was struck down, and what could happen next.
For many Massachusetts landlords and property managers, navigating eviction proceedings has become increasingly complicated due to delays involving RAFT applications.
New Mass. law effective Nov. 25, 2025, changes non-payment eviction rules & restricts landlords from charging late fees or taking certain court actions.
It has been customary practice throughout Massachusetts for landlords who use real estate broker services to require a prospective tenant to pay what is essentially the landlord’s broker fee to the broker, upon accepting an apartment for rent, prior to the commencement of the tenancy.
Under a new law recently signed into effect, namely, the Affordable Homes Act as Chapter 150 of the Acts of 2024, which became effective in Massachusetts in May 2025 tenants can now petition the Court to seal their records for various eviction cases, under certain circumstances.
Massachusetts affords tenants significant legal protection regarding the security deposit paid to a landlord at the commencement of a tenancy. Although landlords may interpret the security deposit statute as draconian, it does not change the fact that landlord’s must be judicious in precisely following the statute once they have the tenant’s security deposit on hand.
