Landlord Entry Laws in Massachusetts

Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 186, §15B governs when a landlord has the right to enter a tenant’s unit and how much notice they must give.

Reasons a landlord may enter

• To inspect the unit
• To make repairs
• To show the unit to prospective tenants
• If a court order has been issued giving them permission to enter
• If the tenant has abandoned the unit
• To conduct a move-out inspection within the final 30 days of a tenancy

Notice required before entry

Massachusetts law sets no specific rules about how much notice a landlord must give before entering your unit. However, the State Sanitary Code does say that a tenant is required to give a landlord access to their unit to make repairs if the landlord gives “reasonable notice.” The law doesn’t define what amount of notice is reasonable, but it is generally considered to be at least 24 hours.