Massachusetts Landlord Repair Duties & Habitability Rights (2026)

What a landlord must fix, and your options when they do not

At a glance

• Core duty: M.G.L. c. 111, § 127A — 房东须保持住宅符合 State Sanitary Code（105 CMR 410.000）的适居标准：安全、卫生、适合居住。
• Notice before acting: §127L：经 Board of Health / code enforcement / 法院认证的违规，房东书面通知后 5 天内须开工（或书面签约第三方），14 天内须实质完成全部必要修复。
• Governing authority: M.G.L. c. 111, § 127A; 105 CMR 410.000

Who this covers — and who it does not

This page covers the landlord's duty to maintain a habitable home in Massachusetts, and what you can do when repairs go unmade.

It does not cover commercial leases, or conditions you caused yourself (which are treated differently).

The landlord's duty

M.G.L. c. 111, § 127A — 房东须保持住宅符合 State Sanitary Code（105 CMR 410.000）的适居标准：安全、卫生、适合居住。

马萨诸塞适居性由 State Sanitary Code 规制：须供热（9/15–6/15 至少 64°F）、供冷热水、电力、门窗锁、灭虫、防潮防霉等。c.186 §14 亦赋予 quiet enjoyment 保障。

M.G.L. c. 111, § 127A; 105 CMR 410.000 ↗

What the duty covers in practice

Notice and time to cure

§127L：经 Board of Health / code enforcement / 法院认证的违规，房东书面通知后 5 天内须开工（或书面签约第三方），14 天内须实质完成全部必要修复。

M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L ↗

Your remedies when repairs go unmade

Landlord entry rules

房东进入须有租约明示目的（检查、维修、展示给潜在租客/买家/贷款人）或法院命令；超出须有合理通知（通常 24 小时，Sanitary Code 维修 48 小时），紧急情况除外。

M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B ↗

When the duty does not apply

§127L 权利不适用于租客本人、家庭成员、住户、商业受邀人或客人造成的违规；租客无理拒绝房东进入的，不得援引 §127L。

M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L ↗

Sources and how to verify them

Every figure on this page comes from the official text or a state court opinion, not from a summary. The table below lists each provision used and the date it was last checked.

Statute	Last verified	Source
M.G.L. c. 111, § 127A; 105 CMR 410.000	2026-10-16	official text ↗
105 CMR 410.200	2026-10-16	official text ↗
105 CMR 410.000	2026-10-16	official text ↗
M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L	2026-10-16	official text ↗
M.G.L. c. 239, § 8A	2026-10-16	official text ↗
M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B	2026-10-16	official text ↗

Where the official text and a secondary summary disagree, this page follows the official text and says so. Where a provision admits of more than one reading, that is flagged rather than smoothed over.

When you need a lawyer instead of a tool

A self-help guide is the right starting point for understanding your position. Get legal help if:

• You have received an eviction notice — the timeline is now court-driven
• The dispute involves discrimination, unsafe conditions or retaliation
• Your landlord has filed anything in court already
• You are unsure whether a local ordinance changes the state rule

Local legal aid organisations and tenant unions offer free help for qualifying cases. They are independent of this site — we list them because they are the right place to go, not because they link here.

More Massachusetts guides

Massachusetts Security Deposit Return · Massachusetts Security Deposit Rules · Massachusetts Eviction Process · Massachusetts Rent Increase Rules · Massachusetts Landlord Retaliation

→ All Massachusetts tenant rights topics

Common questions