Requesting a Repair in Massachusetts

You can't tell your landlord in Massachusetts about something that needs to be repaired over the phone or in person - if you want to stay within the bounds of the law, you need to notify them in writing. If you have an attentive landlord then email may work, but if you're worried about getting ignored then certified mail is your safest bet. This allows you to prove your notification was received.

Your letter should look something like this:

Date
Landlord's name
Landlord's address

Re: Request for Repairs

Greetings:
I am experiencing the following problems in my home: __ __ __.

Pursuant to Section 127L of Massachusetts General Law, I request that these problems be repaired or remedied as soon as possible. Please provide a written explanation to me if there will be any delay in fixing these problems. If you or your agent require access to my home in order to inspect and fix these problems, please provide me advanced notice of your proposed entry. Thanks for your prompt attention.

Your signature
Your name
Your address

If you find yourself considering more serious actions to try and get your landlord to fix something, the burden of proof will be on you. That's why it's so important to painstakingly document the problem as well as your request.

You're also required to have a public official inspect the problem and certify that it's endangering your well-being. Throughout the state you should contact the board of health or local code enforcement agency, and in Boston, Worcester or Cambridge you should contact either the commissioner of housing inspections, or your nearest court house.

Next steps

After you make a request and wait the correct amount of time you can start thinking more serious measures.