Massachusetts Rent increase notice
How much notice does a landlord need to give to raise the rent in Massachusetts?
Lease: rent stays the same for the lease term. Tenancy at will: rent can change only with written notice ending the current tenancy, equal to the rent interval or 30 days, whichever is longer; the notice may offer a new tenancy on different terms.
Verified Source: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12 · last checked 2026-10-22
How this works in Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, rent stays the same for the term of a lease. For a tenancy at will, rent can change only with written notice ending the current tenancy, equal to the rent interval or 30 days, whichever is longer. The notice may offer a new tenancy on different terms.
Worked example for Massachusetts
Example: A tenant at will pays rent monthly, and you want new terms starting July 1, 2026. You give written notice ending the current tenancy, and that notice may offer a new tenancy on different terms. The notice period is the rent interval or 30 days, whichever is longer, so here it is 30 days, and the notice is due by June 1, 2026. During a fixed-term lease, the rent stays the same for the lease term.
Massachusetts timelines and limits
| Fixed-term lease | Rent stays the same for the lease term |
|---|---|
| Tenancy at will | Written notice ending the current tenancy, equal to the rent interval or 30 days, whichever is longer |
| Contents | The notice may offer a new tenancy on different terms |
Massachusetts FAQ
How much notice does a Massachusetts landlord have to give to raise rent?
For a tenancy at will, written notice ending the current tenancy, equal to the rent interval or 30 days, whichever is longer, under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12. During a lease, the rent stays the same for the lease term.
Can the notice offer new terms?
Yes. The written notice may include an offer to establish a new tenancy on different terms, and that offer does not affect the notice's validity.
Can I raise rent during a fixed-term lease?
No. Rent stays the same for the lease term.
Sources for this section: Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12 (checked 2026-10-22)
Same topic in neighboring states
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