Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Massachusetts

Re: renting a house

There are many tips that are case dependent. But whenever moving into a new rental unit you should document any existing damages and send a copy of such documentation directly to the landlord so they are on notice of it. If you are paying a security deposit you should make sure that the Landlord informs you of the account number it has been placed into and that the landlord pays you interest on that amount each year. Lastly, make sure that it is clear either in your lease or in any oral agreement that you know who is responsible for the utilities and for any damages that need to be fixed. Lastly, if you have children under the age of six that will be living with you, you should make sure that the unit is free of lead paint.

Whenever you are asked to sign a lease, you should be sure to have a lawyer review it first.

Re: renting a house

You do not say whether you are the tenant or the landlord. One of the best articles on being a tenant or a landord can be found at the Massachusetts Trial Law Libraries on line.

Mr. Maloney has listed most of the issues.