For nonpayment of rent, Massachusetts requires a 14-day notice to quit under M.G.L. c. 186 § 11 (leases) or § 12 (tenancies at will). After the notice expires, the landlord must bring a summary process (eviction) case in court under c. 239 — self-help eviction is illegal.
Massachusetts requires a written notice to quit before eviction. For nonpayment of rent, M.G.L. c. 186 § 11 (leases) and § 12 (tenancies at will) both provide that "fourteen days' notice to quit" in writing is sufficient to terminate the tenancy. Tenants generally have a right to cure: under § 11, paying "all rent then due, with interest and costs of suit" before the answer is due preserves the tenancy; under § 12, a tenant at will who received no similar notice in the prior 12 months may pay the full rent due within 10 days of receipt. After the notice period, the landlord files a summary process action under M.G.L. c. 239 § 1 to recover possession; only a court-issued execution, served by a sheriff or constable, can lawfully remove a tenant.
Self-help eviction (lockouts, utility shutoffs, removing belongings) is illegal and exposes the landlord to liability, including treble damages or up to three months' rent plus costs and attorney's fees under M.G.L. c. 186 § 14.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge enforces numerical decibel limits: 60 dBA day and 50 dBA night at residential receptors, with a 5 dBA penalty for tonal or impulsive sounds.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge treats persistent barking as a noise violation under Chapter 8.16 and an animal nuisance under Chapter 6.04; owners of chronically barking dogs fac...
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge banned gas-powered leaf blowers in 2024, requiring all landscapers and residents to switch to electric models, with time and decibel restrictions r...
Cambridge, MA
Outdoor music events in Cambridge require a one-day entertainment license from the License Commission, with end times typically capped at 10 PM on weeknights...
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge enforces strict industrial and commercial noise limits: 60 dB days and 50 dB nights at residential property lines, aligned with MassDEP Policy 90-001.
Cambridge, MA
Cambridge reserves designated EV charging station spaces for actively charging electric vehicles only, and new large developments must provide EV-ready parki...
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