Massachusetts landlords must be on the defensive as tenants are increasingly pushed to cash in on their landlords and terrorize them with everything from restraining orders to jail time. In fact if you are only sued for 3 times the rent on one unit this month you might consider yourself lucky…

Tenants are increasingly being armed to sue their landlords in court and withhold rent without fear of eviction. “Legal Tactics: Tenant’s Rights in Massachusetts” is just part of volumes published to encourage Worcester, Shrewsbury, Northborough, Westborough and Auburn renters to wreak havoc on their landlord’s lives.

Tenants and their families do deserve fair treatment and acceptable living conditions but current trends are often seeing good landlords become victims, which is being made worse by hungry legal beagles and even offers of ‘free legal aid’.

Why Being a ‘Good’ Landlord Doesn’t Matter

You may be the best landlord out there, with a huge heart and always doing your utmost to not just stay within the law but go above and beyond for your renters from building maintenance to cutting them slack, but that doesn’t mean you’ve got a ‘get out of jail free’ card.

1. Not always easy to detect and spot – they’re pros – always have a good story – Hollywood level acting lessons – though otherwise good people being tempted due to tough times

2. 18 grounds for civil lawsuits and criminial complaints

3. Can you prove you are innocent? Repairs – genuine mistakes made – emotional and physical distress and on people they know who can sue you too!!!

4. Close – Let’s be honest – odds you can successfully defend yourself 100% from a purposely malicious and educated tenant ZERO – at least put that on a property manager who can do all the hard work keeping you in compliance and let them get sued instead and use their own money to cover the legal defense… don’t appear to be an easy victim – like getting mugged in the street “don’t get mugged by your tenants”