Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Massachusetts

If I rec a 14 day notice and that was 2 weeks ago but was told today if I could pay what I owe by Friday they would not proceed if not they would move forward. My question is it can be paid half by Friday and that doesn't make a difference they will still go ahead. I can pay the remainder but if I do before it even goes to court would I be ok? I have 2 kids and asked if they could give me some time to find a a place. Only if it were paid by fri. Well that is not possible but if I do pay and am caught up do u think the judge would give me some time to look other then this and it should haver never happened this way I have been a good tenant and they were always paid. What happens


Asked on 5/12/15, 11:38 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Christopher Vaughn-Martel Charles River Law Partners, LLC

The amount of time you have in which to pay depends upon your tenancy.

For example, if you had a written lease agreement, you may have the right to pay all that you owe on or before the "Answer Date", which is the Monday before your initial eviction trial. If you do not have a written lease agreement, you may have 10 days from your receipt of the notice to quit in order to pay in full (assuming there was a proper notice to that effect in the notice to quit). If there was notice of your right to cure in your notice to quit, then you also have until the answer date. But NOTE, you may only "cure" a rent deficiency and stop an eviction once in a 12 month period.

This is general advice only and the facts of your case could warrant a dramatically different or more useful strategy. If you are only looking for more time, I might suggest that you retain counsel and see what can be done. Oftentimes, there really is something that can be done to help.

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Answered on 5/12/15, 2:34 pm


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