![]() ![]() Before installing separate water meters, landlords must contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for required forms. You are still responsible for the payment of the water and sewer bills and must bill your tenants separately. Water: If you meet certain legal requirements, you may charge a new tenant for water consumption by installing a water meter for the unit. You are not required to provide a refrigerator, but if you do, it must be maintained by the landlord in good working order. Kitchens: Kitchens must have a sink sufficient for washing dishes and kitchen utensils, a stove and oven in good working order, unless the written rental agreement states the tenant must provide this, and electrical hook-ups for installation of a refrigerator. ![]() to 11:00 p.m., and at least 64˚F at all other hours. The heating season runs from September 16 through June 14th, during which every room must be heated to between 68˚F and not more than 78˚F between 7:00 a.m. You are required to pay for the fuel to provide heat and hot water and electricity unless the written rental agreement states that the tenant must pay for these. ![]() Heat: You must provide a heating system for each apartment (or one system that services all apartments) that is in good working order. #Bills to pay when renting a house codeYou must provide habitable apartments and common areas for the entire tenancy in accordance with the minimum standards of the State Sanitary Code which seeks to protect the health, safety, and well-being of your tenants and the general public. Only a licensed broker or salesperson can lawfully collect a fee for bringing together a landlord and a tenant. Landlords cannot charge a finder's fee to a prospective tenant. While the rule of thumb that tenants should pay no more than ¼ of their income for rent has been stretched beyond that recommendation by increases in market rents, if the tenants offer a co-signature of a parent or friend on their lease to guarantee their rental obligation to you, consider carefully that a guarantee by an out of state signer is very difficult to enforce. Also, you may want to meet your tenants prior to giving final approval, especially in an owner-occupied multi-unit rental. You should always confirm current employment, salary level, prospects for remaining with the employer, and landlord references from not just the current landlord, but the tenant's landlord just prior to the prospective tenant's current landlord. You should always run a credit check and a check of the tenant's prior rental history. This sign-off also acts as violation-free base line if the tenant should claim there are problems with the apartment after taking occupancy. If the apartment is inspected by the Board of Health, make sure the inspector sign-off's once any violations have been corrected. It makes good business sense to do this on all occasions whether required to or not, because anticipating and resolving problems before they become major issues is essential to the smooth, cost-effective and profitable operation of residential property. You are obligated under certain circumstances to have the local Board of Health inspect and verify that the apartment meets State Sanitary Code and safety standards prior to re-renting. Check for damage to assure that it is in good repair. ![]() Before renting an apartment, you should inspect it completely after the current tenant vacates or near the end of the current tenant's occupancy. ![]()
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