What types of problems is my landlord required to repair?

All tenants have the right to live in a safe and habitable place. You do not need a lease to have this right. If your landlord knows about a dangerous or unhealthy problem in your apartment or building and they don’t fix it, they are breaking the law.

The Massachusetts Sanitary Code sets minimum requirements for housing. For example, all rental housing must have heat, hot water, and electricity. Kitchens and

bathrooms must have sinks with running water. Unit doors and windows must have locks. If you have a more serious problem like no heat or hot water, the landlord must make a good faith effort to fix the problem within 24 hours of notice from a Board of Health.