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Tenant Repair Laws in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, after code violations are certified and the landlord fails to start repairs within 5 days or finish within 14 days of written notice, a tenant may repair and deduct up to 4 months' rent per year, and may raise bad conditions as a defense in a nonpayment eviction.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Massachusetts at a glance

Repair and deduct
Yes, up to 4 months' rent a year
Violations must be certified by a code enforcement agency and the landlord must get written notice.
Rent withholding
Only as a court defense
Conditions claims are a defense in a nonpayment eviction only if the landlord knew of them before the tenant fell behind on rent, and the court may require payment to the clerk.
Landlord repair deadline
5 days to start, 14 days to finish
A shorter deadline set by a board of health, code agency or court controls.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Massachusetts

Can a tenant repair and deduct the cost from rent in Massachusetts?

Yes, up to 4 months' rent a year. Repair and deduct in Massachusetts: yes, up to 4 months' rent a year. Violations must be certified by a code enforcement agency and the landlord must get written notice.

Can a tenant withhold rent or pay it into escrow for repairs in Massachusetts?

Only as a court defense. Rent withholding in Massachusetts: only as a court defense. Conditions claims are a defense in a nonpayment eviction only if the landlord knew of them before the tenant fell behind on rent, and the court may require payment to the clerk.

How long does a landlord have to make repairs after notice in Massachusetts?

Landlord repair deadline in Massachusetts: 5 days to start, 14 days to finish. A shorter deadline set by a board of health, code agency or court controls.

Where do the Massachusetts tenant repair laws come from?

The rules above come from Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 111, s. 127L and Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 239, s. 8A. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

Good to know

In a nonpayment eviction, the court may order the tenant to pay the fair value of use and occupancy to the court clerk, and a tenant may voluntarily deposit disputed rent with the clerk (G.L. c. 239, s. 8A).

What this means in practice

Give notice in writing and keep a copy. Tenant repair remedies usually start running only after the landlord has received notice of the problem, and a dated letter or email is the easiest way to prove when that happened.

Document the condition before and after. Photos, videos, inspection reports from a local code office and receipts for any repair work help show that the problem was serious and that any amount deducted or withheld matches the actual cost.

Stay current on everything else. Repair remedies generally protect only tenants who are not otherwise behind on rent and who did not cause the damage, and using a remedy the state does not allow can be treated as nonpayment of rent and lead to an eviction case.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.