Massachusetts 14 Day Notice To Quit for Non-Payment of Rent

Using The 14-Day Notice To Quit For Nonpayment Of Rent

In the state of Massachusetts landlords are required to serve a notice to their tenants before any legal eviction may take place. The 14-Day Notice To Quit For Nonpayment Of Rent is used when the tenant is overdue on any rent by any number of days.

This particular notice is not used for any violations of the tenancy agreement and the appropriate form should be used for these circumstances. When this notice has been served it allows the tenant 14 days to either pay the amount owed, quit the premises or face eviction.

How It Works

For landlords that have a tenant behind on rent they are required by Massachusetts state law to serve this notice before any attempt is made to evict the tenant. If the tenant refuses to quit or pay the overdue rent then a court date will be set to hear the case and then an eviction date will be set if the landlord wins the case.

Important Tip: It is crucial to remember that any landlords of public housing and rent-control tenants must follow the instructions of the local housing authority or rent control board before pursuing an eviction. This is required by law as tenants have a right to a hearing in front of their respective board.

Ways The Notice Can Be Served

Landlords may serve the notice in various ways including mailing it to the property, but the method with the best outcome is personally delivering it to the tenant. If this is the chosen method then the landlord must ensure that the tenant provides a signature as proof of delivery.

Time-Scale

As previously mentioned the tenant will have 14 days to act on this notice. It is important to remember, however, that tenants also have additional time provided for instance if the notice was posted then extra days need to be allowed for the tenant to receive it.

Getting Help

Any eviction process is complicated but this is especially the case in Massachusetts. At EZ Landlord Forms we strongly advise that all landlords seek legal assistance from an attorney before pursuing an eviction for nonpayment of rent.

If you liked any more information on the process then please do not hesitate to contact us directly. We also provide a range of articles to assist with any eviction process at: https://www.ezlandlordforms.com/articles/educational/4/move-out-and-eviction/

For further advice from the state of Massachusetts please visit: http://www.mass.gov/legis/laws/mgl/gl-186-toc.htm

Massachusetts Rental Forms and Templates

• Massachusetts 14-Day Notice to Quit for Non-Payment of Rent: This form should be used for Tenants that are late with rent payments. It’s a required step in the eviction process.
• Massachusetts 30-Day Notice to Quit: This Notice should be used for a Lease violation other than non-payment of rent. This is a required step in the eviction process.

State-Specific Forms