Massachusetts Month-to-month Rental Agreement Template

A rental agreement with no fixed end date. It renews each month until the landlord or tenant gives proper written notice. This edition fills in the Massachusetts rules we could confirm and marks the rest as blanks to check.

Massachusetts rules for this form

Month-to-month notice. Either side can end a month to month tenancy at will with written notice of one full rental period or 30 days, whichever is longer. (G.L. c.186, section 12)

Notice before a rent increase. Rent cannot change during a fixed term lease; for a tenant at will, a new rent generally needs written notice of a full rental period or 30 days, whichever is longer. (G.L. c.186 (tenancy at will notice))

Deposit limit. A security deposit cannot be more than one month of rent. (G.L. c.186, section 15B)

Deadline to return the deposit. The landlord must return the deposit, or the balance after lawful deductions, within 30 days after the tenancy ends. (G.L. c.186, section 15B)

Notice before entry. No statute sets a notice period, but a lease may allow entry only to inspect, make repairs or show the unit, under a court order, if the unit seems abandoned, or to check for damage near the end of the tenancy. (G.L. c.186, section 15B)

Late fees. A lease cannot charge interest or a penalty for late rent until the rent is 30 days overdue. (G.L. c.186, section 15B)

Required disclosures. A landlord who takes a deposit must give a signed receipt, a written statement of the unit's condition within 10 days, and within 30 days a bank receipt showing the bank, account number and amount. (G.L. c.186, section 15B)

Required disclosures. Landlords must give the state Tenant Lead Law Notification, and homes built before 1978 where a child under six lives must be made lead safe. (Massachusetts Lead Law (G.L. c.111, section 197))

Required disclosures. Homes built before 1978 need the federal lead-based paint disclosure and the EPA pamphlet. (Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act (42 U.S.C. 4852d))

Cities and counties in Massachusetts can add their own rules on top of these. Check local ordinances before you sign.

What is in the template

1. Parties
2. Property
3. Monthly term
4. Ending the tenancy
5. Rent
6. Changes to rent or terms
7. Security deposit
8. Utilities
9. Use, guests and pets
10. Care, repairs and alterations
11. Entry
12. Subletting
13. Default
14. Moving out
15. Disclosures
16. General terms
17. Signatures

Before you use it

• A month-to-month agreement renews automatically each rental period until someone gives written notice.
• Notice periods to end the tenancy or change the rent are set by state law, and some cities require longer notice or a valid reason.
• The flexibility cuts both ways: the tenant can leave on short notice, so turnover can come sooner.
• Everything else, from deposit limits to entry notice, follows the same rules as a fixed-term lease.

For the full explanation of this form, read our guide to the month-to-month rental agreement.