Massachusetts Landlord Notice of Nonrenewal

MASSACHUSETTS LANDLORD NOTICE OF NONRENEWAL

1. Classification-First Legal Gate

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12 permits either party to determine an estate at will by three months' written notice. When rent is payable at intervals shorter than three months, notice equal to the payment interval or 30 days, whichever is longer, is sufficient. The notice may include an offer of a new tenancy on different terms. A fixed-term expiration and any renewal clause must instead be classified under the signed lease and controlling special-program law.

• ☐ Tenancy classified: ☐ fixed term ☐ estate at will ☐ other
• ☐ Estate-at-will period is three months or the payment interval/30-day minimum, whichever controls
• ☐ Any replacement-tenancy offer is clearly separate from the nonrenewal
• ☐ Lease, subsidy, condominium-conversion, and local-program rules checked
• ☐ Retaliation, discrimination, and reasonable-accommodation review completed

2. Tenancy and Coverage Record

If any answer is uncertain, stop and obtain legal review before serving the notice.

3. Notice-Date Calculation

• Date notice will be served: [__/__/____]
• Event that ends the tenancy: ☐ fixed-term expiration ☐ periodic termination ☐ lawful just cause ☐ other: [________]
• Proposed termination/nonrenewal date: [__/__/____]
• Date is the correct rental-period or lease-end date: ☐ Yes
• Minimum legal/lease notice expires before that date: ☐ Yes
• Mailing, posting, receipt, or service extension added: ☐ Yes ☐ Not applicable
• Prescribed notice, cause statement, relocation payment, or agency filing required: ☐ No ☐ Yes — attached/completed

Calculation record: [____________________________________________________________]

4. Notice to Tenant

Date: [__/__/____]

To tenant(s): [FULL LEGAL NAME(S)]

Premises: [STREET, UNIT, CITY, MASSACHUSETTS ZIP]

From landlord/authorized agent: [FULL LEGAL NAME AND NOTICE ADDRESS]

NOTICE OF NONRENEWAL AND, IF APPLICABLE, TERMINATION

You are notified that the landlord will not renew the tenancy for the Premises beyond [__/__/____]. Select the legally reviewed classification:

• ☐ Fixed-term nonrenewal. The written lease expires on [__/__/____] and will not be renewed.
• ☐ Periodic-tenancy termination. The periodic tenancy terminates on [__/__/____] under [STATUTE / LEASE / ORDINANCE].
• ☐ Just-cause or good-cause nonrenewal. The controlling cause is stated in Section 5 and every required attachment is included.
• ☐ Other lawful structure: [____________________________________________________________]

Unless the parties later sign a lawful written agreement, all occupants must surrender possession and return all access devices no later than [TIME] on [__/__/____].

This notice does not demand payment, allege a lease default, waive any right, authorize self-help, or itself permit removal of an occupant. Any possession proceeding must follow controlling law.

5. Cause, Exemption, and Required Addenda

Complete this section even when counsel concludes that no cause statement is required.

• Just-cause/good-cause law applies: ☐ No — basis: [________________] ☐ Yes
• Statutory or local exemption claimed: [________________________________]
• Required exemption disclosure was timely given: ☐ Yes ☐ Not applicable
• Lawful cause category: [________________________________]
• Specific supporting facts, dates, people, permits, or orders:

[____________________________________________________________]

[____________________________________________________________]

• Cure or pre-notice required before this notice: ☐ No ☐ Yes — completed [__/__/____]
• Relocation assistance / rent waiver required: ☐ No ☐ Yes — amount $[________], provided [__/__/____]
• Prescribed state/local notice attached: ☐ No ☐ Yes: [________________]
• Filing or copy to agency required: ☐ No ☐ Yes — completed [__/__/____]
• Re-rental, owner-occupancy, withdrawal, or follow-through duty calendared: ☐ Yes ☐ Not applicable

Do not use vague labels where the controlling law requires detailed facts or prescribed text.

6. Move-Out Logistics

• Keys/access devices returned to: [________________________________]
• Optional inspection information: [________________________________]
• Forwarding address may be sent to: [________________________________]
• Utility-transfer instructions: [________________________________]
• Property-removal instructions: [________________________________]

The security deposit and any personal property left behind will be handled under controlling law. This notice does not predetermine deductions, waive itemization requirements, or authorize disposal.

7. Fair-Housing, Retaliation, and Accommodation Review

Subject to coverage and exemptions, 42 U.S.C. § 3604 prohibits specified discrimination in rental availability, terms, statements, and disability-related accommodations. State and local law may protect additional classes and conduct.

• Decision is supported by a documented lawful, nondiscriminatory reason: ☐ Yes
• Recent repair, code, organizing, legal-aid, or rights-enforcement activity reviewed for retaliation: ☐ Yes
• Pending disability accommodation/modification request identified and handled: ☐ Yes ☐ None known
• Selective enforcement and comparator review completed: ☐ Yes
• Counsel approved service despite any retaliation or accommodation risk: ☐ Yes ☐ Not required after review

8. Service and Proof

Use only a method permitted for this notice.

• Person(s) served: [________________________________]
• Service address: [________________________________]
• Method: ☐ personal ☐ mail ☐ substituted ☐ posting plus mailing ☐ other lawful method: [________]
• Date/time served: [__/__/____] [____]
• Date legally deemed given/received: [__/__/____]
• Server/tracking/witness: [________________________________]
• Copy, attachments, proof, and calculation retained: ☐ Yes

9. Landlord / Agent Signature

I certify that I reviewed the classification and coverage record, that the factual entries are accurate to the best of my knowledge, and that all legally required attachments identified above are included.

10. Proof of Service Declaration

I declare that I served the complete notice and all listed attachments as recorded in Section 8.

Sources and References

• Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 12: https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartII/TitleI/Chapter186/Section12
• 42 U.S.C. § 3604: https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCODE-2024-title42/USCODE-2024-title42-chap45-subchapI-sec3604

Have a lawyer licensed in Massachusetts review the completed notice, lease, service calculation, coverage analysis, and all attachments before use.