Rent Control Massachusetts (2024)

Massachusetts rent control laws dramatically impact a landlord’s ability to increase rent prices and maximize profit. At odds with that is rent control, which aims to stabilize housing prices for tenants.

When you consider how much rent costs in Boston, you’ll understand why some want to limit rent increases. The average Boston renter spends 47% of their income on rent, a much higher figure than the 30% average across the rest of the U.S.

Of course, whether or not the Massachusetts government should control rent price increases has become a hot-button topic over recent years, so both renters and landlords will benefit from knowing exactly where the laws stand today.

To assist you, we’ll analyze the history of rent control in Massachusetts, inform you of certain limitations, discuss landlord-tenant laws, and explain how property management software can help landlords navigate it all.

Key Takeaways

Before we dive in, here’s a quick summary of our findings:

• Massachusetts abolished rent control in 1994.
• Landlords can increase rent prices at will, though certain limitations exist.
• Recent attempts to reenact rent control in Massachusetts haven’t materialized.
• Massachusetts has “just cause” eviction laws, meaning landlords can’t evict tenants who disagree with rent hikes.

Massachusetts Rent Control Laws: An Overview

Massachusetts is one of 37 states that doesn’t regulate landlords’ ability to raise rent on their tenants. In general, landlords can increase rental prices as much as they’d like if they follow certain protocols.

For example, let’s pretend a renter signs a 12-month lease for a Boston apartment for $2,000 a month. A month before their lease expires, the landlord informs the renter that they can renew the lease, but only if they agree to the new monthly rent price of $3,400, a 70% increase.

While drastic rent hikes like these may seem unfair to some, they have been completely legal (and not uncommon) in Massachusetts for the last thirty years.

Up until 1994, certain cities (Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Brookline, and Lynn) were allowed to enforce rent increase regulations. That all changed, however, when the state legislature abolished rent control statewide by a 51-49 margin, with the exception of Cambridge, which was grandfathered in.

And while median rental prices in Massachusetts have increased 30% faster than median household income from 2012 to 2024, recent attempts to reinstate rent control haven’t materialized.

As a result, landlords can raise prices as they see fit, allowing them to adjust to inflation, increase rent as their properties become more desirable, and earn the extra income it takes to keep their rentals in optimal condition.

Note: In March 2023, Boston City Council members voted 11-2 to limit year-over-year rent increases by up to 10%. However, final approval of the law requires that the state legislature and governor sign off on it, neither of which has occurred at the time of writing.

Rent Increase Limitations in Massachusetts

There are no limits on how often or how much a landlord can raise rent prices in Massachusetts, though certain limitations do exist:

• Landlords must give renters at least 30 days’ written notice before raising rent.
• Rent increases cannot take effect until an active fixed-term lease agreement has concluded.
• Rent increases for month-to-month tenants must take effect on the first day of a new rental cycle.
• Landlords cannot raise rent within six months of a tenant exercising certain tenant rights.

Going back to our earlier example, if the landlord raising rent from $2,000 to $3,400 didn’t issue their tenant a written rent increase notice 30 days or earlier before the lease’s end date, they wouldn’t be legally allowed to raise the tenant’s rent on the next lease agreement.

However, the landlord could choose not to renew the lease with the current tenant, let them move out, raise the rental price, and find a new tenant.

Just Cause for Eviction in Massachusetts

Just cause eviction laws — regulations that require landlords to provide a specific reason for evicting a tenant — protect Massachusetts renters who have signed lease agreements. Landlords cannot no-fault evict tenants by forcing them to move out before their lease culminates without a valid reason.

Though some critics see just cause eviction laws as a form of rent control that prevents landlords from maximizing rental income, these regulations allow rule-abiding tenants to enjoy increased housing security throughout their entire lease.

Valid reasons for just cause eviction in Massachusetts include:

• Non-payment of rent
• Nuisance or damage to the unit
• Illegal activity within the unit
• Refusal to allow entry to the unit
• Landlord requires the property to house a family member (month-to-month leases only)
• General lease violations

If a landlord wants to evict a tenant with just cause, they should:

• Document the issue at hand
• Issue the tenant a 14-day notice to quit that explains the reason for eviction
• File an eviction lawsuit if the tenant doesn’t pay overdue rent, resolve issues with the landlord, or vacate by the end of the notice

Landlords are allowed to ‘no-fault’ evict tenancy-at-will tenants (renters who haven’t signed a formal lease agreement) for any reason. They can do so by simply issuing tenants a 30-day notice to vacate that ends on the day that the next month’s rent is due.

In the scope of rent price increases, Massachusetts tenants who enter into fixed-term rental contracts are locked into the agreed-upon terms for the duration of the lease. They aren’t obligated to accept rent hikes during their lease and cannot be evicted for refusing to do so.

Month-to-month or tenancy-at-will tenants, on the other hand, are far more vulnerable to sudden rent hikes. Landlords only need to give these tenants 30 days’ notice before raising rent, allowing them to effectively force out those who can’t afford higher monthly payments.

Landlord Rights and Responsibilities

Massachusetts landlords should understand their rights and responsibilities, as doing so will help them navigate rent increases, just cause evictions, and other landlord-tenant laws.

Massachusetts landlords have the right to:

• Raise rent prices as they see fit
• Evict tenants for legally supported reasons
• Access properties to perform repairs and inspections

Massachusetts landlords must:

• Give a tenant 30 days’ notice before raising rent
• Follow proper protocols when evicting a tenant
• Give tenants 24-hour notice before accessing properties

Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

Massachusetts tenants should understand their rights and responsibilities, as doing so is essential to maintaining good relationships with landlords, handling rent increases, and avoiding unjust evictions.

Massachusetts tenants have the right to:

• Pay the agreed-upon rent price for the duration of their lease
• Live in a safe and habitable rental unit
• Remain in a rental property during eviction proceedings

Massachusetts tenants must:

• Pay rent to the landlord on time (or within 14 days as mandated by a notice)
• Notify the landlord when repairs or maintenance are required
• Vacate a property once their lease term has concluded (fixed-term tenants)
• Give the landlord 30 days’ notice before ending their lease (month-to-month tenants)

Navigating Rent Control Laws with TurboTenant

Although rent control doesn’t currently exist in Massachusetts, Boston’s recent efforts to enact it citywide are closer to fruition than ever.

TurboTenant, an all-in-one property management software, can help Massachusetts landlords navigate potential future rent control laws by:

• Advertising rental properties and attracting top-notch tenants to fill vacancies
• Creating customizable rental applications that gather and organize relevant data, like tenant income
• Screening rental candidates to ensure landlords select financially sound tenants who can afford future rent increases
• Generating Massachusetts-specific lease agreements that protect landlords from lease-breaking and unexpected vacancies

Sign up for free property management software today to see how else TurboTenant can elevate your landlord-tenant experience.

Disclaimer: TurboTenant does not provide legal advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only. All users are advised to check all applicable local, state, and federal laws and consult legal counsel should questions arise.