Landlord / Tenant Disputes

Landlord / Tenant Disputes

Landlord/Tenant disputes necessarily involve the most important aspect of a person’s livelihood: a place to live.  As a result, most tenants are afraid to bring up important issues regarding to their living arrangement with their landlord for fear they will lose the roof over their head.  Perhaps your landlord took too long to fix the heat in the dead of winter.  Maybe they frequently enter your living area without permission.  It could be that upon moving out your landlord did not return enough of your security deposit.  For many tenants, these indiscretions do not rise to the level where they are worth complaining about.  These tenants are also unaware that the law provides them with many protections against landlords who take advantage of a tenant’s natural tendency to avoid confrontation.  Even if it is agreed to, your landlord may be lawfully prevented from including a certain provision as a condition of the lease

Massachusetts particularly has one of the strongest tenant-friendly state laws and regulations in the country.  Although a landlord owns the property, the tenant has rights they can assert when a landlord:

• Attempts a Wrongful Eviction
• Engages in Retaliatory behavior
• Engages in Discriminatory behavior
• Fails to adhere to sanitary codes
• Fails to adhere to health codes
• Fails to adhere to building codes
• Fails to return interest on a security deposit
• Fails to return security deposit
• Fails to itemize security deposit deductions and sign under oath
• Incorporates Pet Fees in Lease
• Incorporates Community Fees in Lease
• Interferes with the quiet enjoyment of the premises

However, this list does not incorporate all the acts landlords are prevented from engaging in.  Particularly, interference with the quiet enjoyment of the premises can apply to many things and is inherent in every landlord/tenant contract.  A landlord owns the property, but the tenant is ensured protection to peacefully and reasonably use their rented space without any disturbance.  If you think your landlord is doing anything that unreasonably interferes or disturbs the living space you rented, you may have the right to be compensated.

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