Lawrence, MA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

" Inspections must include sworn statements signed by both a sanitary code inspector and a building inspector from the inspectional services department, not just one. 070 sets the fee schedule that funds this program: $100 for buildings with up to three rental units, $200 for buildings with four to six units, and $400 for buildings with seven or more units, payable by the owner at the time of inspection, plus a $50 fee for any missed inspection appointment. 050, and the director of inspectional services may waive or defer a scheduled inspection if the unit already received an equivalent inspection within the prior three years.

010) is to run "a proactive rental inspection program to improve the quality of city housing and ensure safe and healthy living conditions," identifying rental units on a continuous basis given the transient nature of Lawrence's rental market. Because the actual habitability standard being enforced is the state sanitary code rather than a locally written minimum-standards list, Lawrence's ordinance operates as a local enforcement mechanism layered on top of 105 CMR 410 rather than a separate substantive housing code.