Massachusetts Lease Agreement with ezSign

Massachusetts Residential Lease Agreement

If you rent real estate in Massachusetts, you need a Lease Agreement that complies with all MA Lease laws. This is what it means for a Lease to be state-specific.

Our Massachusetts Lease is guaranteed to comply with all Lease laws and is EZ to create:

1. Follow simple prompts to customize your Lease Agreement.
2. As you do, our State Assist will point out important state laws.
3. All state-required language, terms, and disclosures are AUTOMATICALLY included.
4. With the click of a button, you can select additional addendums or disclosures to add to your Lease Package - for example, a Pet Addendum, a Furnished Rental Unit Addendum, or a Mold Prevention Addendum.
5. You and your Tenants can review and sign the finalized Lease entirely online.
6. Once signed, the Lease is automatically stored with ezCloudStorage - it’s also printable and EZ to download.

The entire process is EZ and only takes about 15 minutes!

Create Massachusetts Lease

MA Landlord-Tenant Laws

Our Lease Agreement complies with all Massachusetts Lease laws. But, we appreciate that Pro Landlords want to know their state’s Landlord-Tenant laws when managing a rental property.

Required Disclosures

• Fire Insurance: Within 15 days of the Lease signing, the Landlord must provide the Tenant with the terms and conditions of the fire insurance on the property.
• Massachusetts Statement of Condition: Within 10 days of either the Lease signing or receipt of the security deposit, whichever is later, the Landlord must provide the Tenant with a Statement of Condition to record any and all repairs needed on the premises. Upon receipt of this document, the Tenant has 15 days to return it to the Landlord.
  
  The following language must be included in the Inventory Checklist:
  This is a statement of the condition of the premises you have leased or rented. You should read it carefully in order to see if it is correct. If it is correct you must sign it. This will show that you agree that the list is correct and complete. If it is not correct, you must attach a separate signed list of any damage which you believe exists in the premises. This statement must be returned to the landlord or his agent within fifteen days after you receive this list or within fifteen days after you move in, whichever is later. If you do not return this list, within the specified time period, a court may later view your failure to return the list as your agreement that the list is complete and correct in any suit which you may bring to recover the security deposit.

• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure: Pursuant to federal law, if the property was built before 1978, the renters must be given a lead-based paint disclosure.
• Security Deposit Receipt: If the Landlord receives a security deposit from the Tenant, the Tenant must be provided with a security deposit receipt within 10 days of receiving the deposit or within ten days after the commencement of the tenancy, whichever is later.
• Follow-up Deposit Statement: Within 30 days of receiving the security deposit, the Landlord must issue a separate statement to the Tenant containing information about where the deposit is being held.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you write a simple Lease Agreement?
A simple or basic Lease Agreement needs to cover all terms of a tenancy. This includes names of Tenant and Landlord, rent amount, security deposit amount, Lease term, late fee policies, and when rent is due.

While this basic information is essential, there are also additional terms and policies that the Lease Agreement should cover to ensure that Landlords are protected and that the Lease complies with state law.

Writing a generic Lease Agreement is not easy and it can leave Landlords unprotected. There are some blank or fillable Lease Agreements available - for example, the one offered by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors - but these Leases don’t provide Landlords with the same protection that comes from a customizable, state-specific Lease Agreement.

Does a Massachusetts Lease Agreement have to be notarized?
No, Massachusetts Leases don’t have to be notarized. As long as they are signed by both parties, they are considered fully executed and legally binding.

What is the standard Lease term in Massachusetts?
A standard Lease is for one year (12 months). While this is the standard Lease term, Lease Agreements for shorter and longer periods are accepted as long as the Lease term is clearly stated in the Lease Agreement. Month-to-month Lease Agreements, short-term Leases, and Vacation Rental Contracts are all recognized in the state.

Who needs a Massachusetts Lease Agreement?
Anyone who rents real estate in Massachusetts needs a Lease Agreement. This is true for all types of properties whether it’s an apartment, a single-family home, a duplex, or a condo. Should any problems arise with the property or the Tenant, it’s the Lease that protects you. This is why it’s vital to have a Lease Agreement in place before handing over possession to Tenants.

Does Microsoft Word have a Lease Agreement template?
While Microsoft Word does offer a Lease Agreement template, it’s important to recognize that this generic Lease form is not state-specific. This means that it does not comply with all Massachusetts Lease laws. As a result, should the Landlord have issues with the Tenant or need to initiate legal proceedings, the Landlord would not be fully protected. This is why it’s so important to have a state-specific Lease and why Landlords should be wary of fillable and generic Lease templates.

Create Massachusetts Lease