“Home is where you feel at home and are treated well.”
– Dalai Lama
In order to protect yourself and your family, Massachusetts tenants’ rights attorney Arthur Hardy-Doubleday helps you navigate the challenges of tenancy. Starting with the application process, into your apartment, to defending your family against eviction, and moving out, our firm seamlessly deals with any related problems. We are dedicated to defense of your full rights under Massachusetts law.
With us, your rights come first. Our commitment to protect your rights as a tenant in Massachusetts is incorruptible, whether you’re dealing with paying your security deposit, breaking the lease, eviction, or other responsibilities.
Navigating the Application Phase
Finding a new apartment or home to rent can take you weeks and sometimes even months. While searching for your new rental, you may be asked to pay an application fee or similar costs associated with checking your credit score. In Massachusetts, this is not legal.
We work with tenants who were wrongfully charged application fees. Depending on your landlord’s situation, he or she might be in violation of one of two Massachusetts laws. Not only can this violation make you eligible for triple the damages, but the landlord would also need to pay your attorney fees.
Additionally, security deposits in Massachusetts are tenant friendly. If your landlord fails to comply with the law, your Massachusetts tenants’ rights attorney can potentially win the client three times the deposit plus attorney fees. Similarly landlords cannot charge tenants a pet deposit unless it is collected along with the security deposit. But a landlord can charge pet rent without violating a tenants’ rights.
During Your Tenancy
It is infuriating when a landlord does not respond to your repair requests, it also can be grounds for withholding rent. After you have made a repair request in writing, notified the landlord that you will withhold rent if not repaired, and given them a reasonable amount of time, you are under your rights to not pay. A landlord is responsible for providing safe, habitable, and sanitary housing. Your tenants’ right attorney can help you understand your responsibilities in this situation.
Tenants with disabilities have the right to make a reasonable accommodations request of their landlords in order to find fair housing solutions. In Massachusetts, persons with disabilities are given certain adjustments to rules and procedures in order to accommodate them and provide housing solutions. Doubleday Law has valuable experience with tenants’ right law, especially helping the disabled file discrimination complaints against non-compliant landlords.
Since the New England winter can be frigid, adequate heating is a requirement of landlords in Massachusetts. Landlords must pay heating costs unless otherwise stated in writing. If they aren’t paying for your heat, you must act now as your rights as a tenant are protected under law. According to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, landlords are liable for any injuries resulting from their failure to remove ice and snow from their property. Property owners must clear snow and ice after a storm without letting it accumulate, or risk paying damages up to three-times one month’s rent plus attorney fees.
Facing Eviction
“One must verify or expel his doubts, and convert them into the certainty of Yes or NO.”
– Thomas Carlyle
Eviction can be a scary situation for any family. Fortunately, eviction laws in Massachusetts are tenant-friendly and can be fought with the help of tenants’ rights attorney Arthur Hardy-Doubleday. Because the eviction process moves slowly, the tenant has the opportunity to negotiate with the landlord and settle outside of court. If you are facing eviction, being responsive and acting quickly will help you achieve a favorable outcome.
A landlord is required to provide the tenant with notice prior to an eviction. In the event that a tenant is not paying rent, the landlord must provide a 14-day notice to quit. If this document is written incorrectly, the tenant can defend themselves against it with the help of their attorney. When the landlord decides to perform a no-fault eviction, he or she must provide a 30-day notice to the tenant. Once again if this is performed incorrectly, which happens frequently, you as the tenant have the right to a legal defense.
For-cause evictions are due to the landlord’s belief that the lease terms have been violated or the tenant is engaging in illegal behavior. The landlord must provide proof of such actions. If you are dealing with a for-cause eviction contact us today as your tenants’ rights attorney in Massachusetts.
Moving Out
Nothing is worse than when you’re moving out and your landlord is not providing you with your security deposit. Always remove your belongings and clean the space. Do a walkthrough with your landlord and take pictures before you leave. Once you’ve given your keys back, send a letter arranging for the return of your security deposit which must come back with interest.
While navigating the tenant-landlord relationship in Massachusetts, you may experience challenges and problems. Doubleday Law will act as your Massachusetts tenants’ rights law firm to ensure you remain fully protected under the law. Do not hesitate to seek help if you need it; contact us today to learn more.