Lock Law Protects Renters In Massachusetts

Can you landlord just bust into your Massachusetts dwelling? Whether it's an apartment, duplex, condo, or house, they do have the right to enter their property.

Do they always? Absolutely not.

Listeners of "Slater & Marjo In The Morning" may have heard the real estate guys on Friday talk about landlords' and tenants' respective rights in Massachusetts.

The State of Massachusetts happens to be super friendly to the tenant and not so much to the landlord. That doesn't mean, however, that the rightful owner of the property is powerless.

Knowing your rights as a tenant is very important. When I was in my 20's, my landlord phoned me just four months after I moved in and asked me firmly to leave due to his ill family member needing a place to live.

Probably due to my guilty conscience at the time because we were smoking in the apartment, I sort of agreed to leave.

Was there a law broken? No, because I agreed to leave. Could I have stayed? Yes.

For the sake of this post, we'll talk about lawful entry when it comes to landlord and tenant.

No, he or she can't bust in when you're in the shower, but here is when they can.

6 Situations When Your Landlord Can Lawfully Enter Your Apartment In Massachusetts

• Inspection of the apartment
• Making repairs
• Showing the apartment to a new prospective tenant/buyer
• Court order
• If the apartment is abandoned
• Final inspection of the apartment 30 days before you leave

Renters In Massachusetts May Not Know That This Law Protects Them

If you're a tenant and you want to change the locks without permission from your landlord, that is permitted.

Massachusetts tenants can change locks without permission if the lease doesn’t say otherwise. Note that the landlord still has a right to enter for specific reasons, so it’s reasonable for tenants to provide copies of current keys.

Information courtesy of mass.gov