Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Massachusetts

Re: Eviction due to sale of property

A relocation fee is not the issue here unless her lease is government financed and provides for such a fee. Assuming that your daughter does not have such a lease but does have one which will not end for several months, the new owner is merely making her an offer to terminate her tenancy early in return for the $1000 payment.

She has 2 options - she can either 1) accept the $1000, vacate within 30 days and seek the return of her security deposit (less any appropriate deduction for damages beyond ordinary wear and tear); or 2) decline his offer and stay in the unit for the remainder of her lease. In that event, she should still have her security deposit returned after she vacates, subject to the conditions mentioned above.

I hope this information is helpful to you and your daughter.

Re: Eviction due to sale of property

No, a landlord is not required to offer a relocation fee except in the very unusual situtation where the lease requires it, or some law does. For example, if you daughter has a lease under Section 8 (a law), such a fee might be required. My suspicion is that the landlord wants to renovate the property and is trying to empty out the building the easy way. The hard way, of course, is to go through court for evictions. If she is on a tenancy at will (month to month), this is probably a pretty good offer so long as she can find somewhere else to live. A month to month tenancy can be terminated on a month's notice! Good luck