From the category archives:

Landlord Tenant Law

Massachusetts Lead Paint Law Advisory: Family (Un)Friendly Policies Can Get Landlords Into Big Trouble

by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. February 16, 2010 Condominium Law

My Boston.com fellow blogger, buyer’s agent Rona Fischman, has fielded several questions recently regarding the Massachusetts Lead Paint Law. Prospective renters have called apartment listings only to be hung up on abruptly with a “It’s not deleaded!” if they hear a child in the background or if they answer truthfully about having children. Mothers have [...]

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Massachusetts Landlords And Realtors Settle Discriminatory Housing Practices With Attorney General

by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. October 29, 2009 Housing Discrimination

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley today announced that her office has settled 20 cases against landlords and real estate agents accused of violating state anti-discrimination laws across Massachusetts. The companies allegedly made discriminatory statements in online rental advertisements on Craigslist.org which stated “no children” or “no Section 8.” Section 8 is a rental subsidy program [...]

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A Quick Question & Answer Session On Massachusetts Condominium Law And Liability Issues

by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. October 28, 2009 Condominium Law

Rona Fischman, a buyer’s agent and co-author of Boston.com’s Real Estate Now Blog asked me to answer a couple of questions regarding condominiums on her Boston.com blog which I’ve reprinted here:
Is an individual unit owner liable if someone gets hurt in the condominium’s common areas?
The answer is most likely not. This is good lead in [...]

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Massachusetts Landlord Tenant Law: A Legal Refresher Course For Landlords

by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. July 28, 2009 Housing Discrimination

With the impending influx of renters and students invading the Greater Boston area soon, let’s review some often asked questions concerning Massachusetts landlord tenant law to assist landlords in navigating the rental process.

Screening Prospective Tenants: What You Can and Cannot Ask?
Landlords can legally ask about a tenant’s income, current employment, prior landlord references, [...]

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Massachusetts Security Deposit Law: To Take A Security Deposit Or Not To Take One, That Is The Question.

by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. August 5, 2009 Landlord Tenant Law

My last post on this blog and on Boston.com on Massachusetts landlord-tenant law spawned many questions on the Massachusetts security deposit law. So, I decided to go into more detail about the topic.
Massachusetts Security Deposits–An Overview
Last month’s rent and security deposits are one of the most heavily regulated aspects of Massachusetts landlord-tenant law and are [...]

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Residential Landlord’s Implied Warranty Of Habitability Extended To Guests Of Tenants

by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. September 23, 2009 Landlord Tenant Law

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled last week that a landlord was liable for breaching the implied warranty of habitability when a tenant’s guest seriously injured himself falling from a defective porch. The case is Scott v. Garfield, and can be found here.
What’s the Implied Warranty of Habitability?
The implied warranty of habitability is a multi-faceted [...]

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Newly Formed Company Liable For $1.2M In Back Rent Under Corporate Successor Liability Theory

by Richard D. Vetstein, Esq. September 14, 2009 Commercial Leasing

Apparently for the first time, a Massachusetts trial judge has used a newly decided corporate successor liability theory to hold a newly formed company responsible for the debts of its predecessor, yielding a $2 million judgment for back rent and interest. The plaintiff in the case, Renaissance Worldwide, had leased space to Sitara Networks, a [...]

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