Just cause eviction rules in Bristol County, MA — sometimes called tenant protection or "for cause" eviction ordinances — list the specific legal reasons a landlord can end a tenancy.
Bristol County landlords must follow MGL ch. 239 summary process for evictions. No-fault evictions require 30-day or rental-period notice; non-payment requires 14-day notice to quit. Self-help eviction is barred by MGL ch. 184 §18.
Eviction in Bristol County (Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton, Attleboro) is governed by Massachusetts General Laws chapter 239 and must proceed through Southeast Housing Court or Fall River/New Bedford District Court. Non-payment requires a 14-day notice to quit under MGL ch. 186 §11 or §12. No-fault termination of a tenancy at will requires written notice equal to a full rental period or 30 days, whichever is longer. Fixed-term leases end on the stated date without notice. MGL ch. 184 §18 prohibits self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities exposes a landlord to treble damages plus attorney's fees under MGL ch. 186 §14. Retaliation within six months of a tenant's protected activity is presumed unlawful under MGL ch. 186 §18. New Bedford and Fall River both have active housing inspection divisions that tenants frequently involve in eviction disputes.
Self-help eviction: treble damages, actual damages, and attorney's fees (MGL ch. 186 §14, ch. 184 §18). Retaliatory eviction: 1 to 3 months' rent plus costs. Improper notice to quit: case dismissed without prejudice, must restart process.
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