Uninhabitable Conditions — How to Report Them
If your apartment has serious health or safety problems — mold, pests, broken heat, lack of hot water — you have the right to a habitable home. Here is how to document the issues and get them fixed.
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Massachusetts law requires rental housing to meet the State Sanitary Code (105 CMR 410), which sets minimum standards for heat, plumbing, structural integrity, pest control, light, and ventilation. A landlord who fails to maintain these standards is in violation of the law.
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Document every problem: take date-stamped photographs and video of each condition (mold, rodent droppings, broken fixtures, standing water). Create a written log with the date you first noticed each problem and any communications with your landlord.
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Send a written notice to your landlord describing each condition and requesting repair within a reasonable time. Use email or text so you have a timestamped record. Keep copies of all landlord responses.
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File a housing inspection request with Boston 311 (online or by phone). An Inspectional Services inspector will visit and issue a written violation notice if conditions breach the Sanitary Code. Request the inspection report number.
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A written violation notice from Inspectional Services strengthens your legal position. It can support rent withholding, repair-and-deduct, or a court order compelling repairs — all remedies available under Massachusetts tenant law.
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If conditions are severe (no heat, no water, structural hazard), contact a tenant rights organization or legal aid immediately. In extreme cases a court may order an emergency repair or permit you to terminate your tenancy.