Landautomate keeps an operating calendar for independent landlords: what needs doing on a rental, when it is due, and why. This page is the Massachusetts content from our reviewed rule base. Every item below carries its sources and the date we last checked them.
This guide is the reading version of our Massachusetts rule base. In the app, the same rules become dated tasks on each of your Massachusetts properties, timed to your purchase date, lease dates, property age, and climate, with an email before each one is due. The free preview shows a sample of that schedule for Massachusetts in under a minute, no account needed.
Massachusetts landlords commonly track 6 state and local compliance obligations, each listed below with its schedule, its sources, and the date we last verified it. Among them: confirm heat is on and holding 68F from September 15, file Massachusetts LLC annual report by formation anniversary, and if your property is in Boston, complete its annual rental registration by July 1.
The Massachusetts sanitary code requires landlords to heat every habitable room and bathroom to at least 68 degrees from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and 64 degrees overnight from September 15 through May 31, and a heat failure is deemed a condition that may endanger health, so the local board of health orders a good faith effort to fix it within 24 hours.
If the property is held in a Massachusetts LLC, or in an out-of-state LLC registered to do business there, the LLC must file a $500 annual report with the Secretary of the Commonwealth on or before the anniversary of its original filing each year, and two consecutive missed years can lead to administrative dissolution (or, for an out-of-state LLC, revocation of its authority to do business in Massachusetts).
If your property is in Boston, every rental unit, vacant ones included, must be registered with Inspectional Services each year by July 1 ($25 per unit the first year and $15 per unit after that, with no fee for an owner-occupied building of six or fewer units), the city sends no invoice, and a missed deadline can bring a $300 fine for each month the property stays out of compliance.
Massachusetts landlords holding a security deposit or last month's rent must, at the end of each year of the tenancy, send the tenant a statement and either pay the interest owed (5 percent a year or the lower rate the bank actually paid) or tell the tenant to deduct it from the next rent, and interest left unpaid when the tenancy ends can lead to triple damages plus court costs and attorney's fees.
Massachusetts cities and towns on quarterly billing collect property tax on August 1, November 1, February 1, and May 1 (others bill twice a year, so check the due dates printed on your bill), and an installment paid late accrues 14 percent annual interest from its due date and, if still unpaid after a demand, can lead the town to take the property for the taxes.
Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 186 s. 15B) requires returning the deposit and its accrued interest within 30 days after the tenancy ends, with any deduction for damage backed by a sworn, itemized list and repair estimates or receipts delivered within the same 30 days, and missing the deadline or failing to hold the deposit in a separate Massachusetts bank account triggers three times the amount due plus 5% interest, court costs, and attorney fees.
The free preview takes your state and property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run for you, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.
Landlords in Massachusetts plan upkeep around a cold climate: this guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items for Massachusetts in calendar order, each with its timing and the date we last verified it. Among them: check ice dams and roof snow load after major storms, smoke and CO detector seasonal test, and spring thaw inspection: roof and foundation.
Massachusetts snowfall peaks in January and February, often in nor'easters that bring heavy snow, so a midwinter check for ice dams and deep roof snow catches meltwater backing up under the shingles before it damages ceilings and walls, and heavy loads before they strain flat or low-pitched roofs.
An annual full test of smoke and CO detectors (beyond battery swaps) confirms every alarm actually sounds.
Freeze-thaw cycles crack roofs and foundations; a spring inspection catches winter damage early.
Tropical storms and hurricanes reach Massachusetts most often from late August through September, bringing storm surge to the coast and damaging wind and flooding rain inland, so an early summer check of the roof, gutters, drainage, sump pump, and flood insurance leaves time for repairs and for the usual 30-day wait before a new flood policy takes effect.
A pre-season furnace inspection prevents mid-winter heating failures and carbon monoxide risk.
Draining exterior lines before the first hard freeze prevents burst pipes and water damage.
Clearing gutters after leaf drop prevents ice dams and roofline water damage in winter.
Every rental needs the same baseline care regardless of state: this guide tracks 16 recurring upkeep items, each with its schedule and the date we last verified it. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement.
Organized records make tax filing accurate and deductions defensible.
Clear gutters prevent water intrusion, foundation, and roof damage.
Clean filters protect HVAC equipment and keep energy costs down.
Confirms coverage limits and premiums still match the property risk.
Keeps the ownership entity in good standing with state filings.
Planning renewals ahead of time reduces vacancy and turnover costs.
Keeps small maintenance issues from turning into expensive repairs.
Verifies owner cash distributions reconcile with rent and expenses.
Early pest detection prevents structural damage and habitability complaints.
Reviewing assessments can surface appeal opportunities and budget changes.
Confirms rent was received on time and surfaces collection issues early.
Keeps rent aligned with market rates and local rent regulations.
Working smoke and CO detectors are a life-safety and legal requirement.
Confirms vacant-property utilities stay at minimal service so pipes, alarms, and sump pumps keep working.
Catches billing errors and unexpected usage spikes on property utilities.
Regular walkthroughs of a vacant property deter break-ins, squatting, and unnoticed damage.
Our reviewed rule base currently lists 6 state and local compliance obligations that Massachusetts landlords commonly track. Among them: confirm heat is on and holding 68F from September 15, file Massachusetts LLC annual report by formation anniversary, and if your property is in Boston, complete its annual rental registration by July 1. Each obligation shows its schedule, the sources it was checked against, and the date we last verified it. This guide is general information for planning reminders, not legal advice.
The Massachusetts guide lists 7 seasonal maintenance items timed to a cold climate, in calendar order. Among them: check ice dams and roof snow load after major storms, smoke and CO detector seasonal test, and spring thaw inspection: roof and foundation. Landautomate turns each item into a dated reminder on your property calendar so the work is planned before the season arrives.
Alongside state specific work, the Massachusetts guide tracks 16 baseline upkeep items that apply to nearly every rental. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement. These recur on a regular schedule, and Landautomate schedules each one automatically for every property you add.
Every rule in the Massachusetts guide goes through human review before it is published, and each rule shows the date we last verified it. Each compliance obligation links the primary sources it was checked against. Laws and deadlines change, so if you believe something here is outdated or incorrect, contact us at support@landautomate.com and we will review it promptly.
The same reviewed calendar, for other states.
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The free preview takes your state and property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run for you, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.