Last updated: April 2026
Know your rights as a renter in Attleboro, Massachusetts — covering security deposits, eviction procedures, habitability standards, and strong state retaliation protections.
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Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, subject to Massachusetts' statewide landlord-tenant framework. There is no local rent control, no just cause eviction ordinance, and no Attleboro-specific tenant protections beyond state law. However, Massachusetts provides some of the strongest baseline renter protections in the nation — including strict security deposit rules, a powerful sanitary code, and robust anti-retaliation provisions.
The key state statutes governing Attleboro rentals include M.G.L. c. 186 (landlord-tenant relationships), M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L (habitability and repair-and-deduct), and 105 CMR 410 (the State Sanitary Code). Attleboro tenants who experience habitability problems, illegal lockouts, or retaliation have meaningful legal remedies under these laws.
Massachusetts voters approved a statewide ban on rent control via ballot Question 9 in 1994, which eliminated rent control in Boston, Cambridge, and Brookline. In 2020, the legislature lifted the state prohibition through Chapter 358, technically allowing municipalities to enact their own ordinances — but no Massachusetts city other than Boston (which passed a just cause eviction ordinance in 2024) has taken meaningful action. Attleboro has no rent control law.
Without rent control, landlords in Attleboro may charge any rent they choose and may increase rent by any amount at the end of a lease term. For month-to-month tenants, rent increases require advance written notice. Tenants facing steep increases have no legal mechanism to challenge the amount, but may be protected from retaliatory increases under M.G.L. c. 186, § 18.
Massachusetts' State Sanitary Code (105 CMR 410) imposes detailed minimum standards on rental housing. Landlords must provide heat (minimum 68°F from September 16 through June 14), hot water, adequate weatherproofing, pest-free conditions, and working plumbing and electrical systems. Tenants can report violations to Attleboro's Board of Health, which may inspect and issue orders to correct deficiencies.
Anti-retaliation protections under M.G.L. c. 186, § 18 are exceptionally strong. If a landlord raises rent, reduces services, or initiates eviction within six months of a tenant reporting a code violation, organizing other tenants, or exercising any legal right, that action is presumed to be retaliatory — and the burden shifts to the landlord to prove otherwise. Successful retaliation claims may result in rent abatement and attorney's fees.
Massachusetts has some of the strictest security deposit rules in the country, governed by M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B. Landlords may collect no more than one month's rent as a security deposit — regardless of what the lease says. The deposit must be deposited in a separate, interest-bearing bank account within 30 days, and the landlord must provide the tenant with written documentation of the bank, account number, and interest rate within 30 days of receipt.
Upon move-out, the landlord must return the deposit — plus accrued interest — along with an itemized written statement of deductions within 30 days. Failure to comply with any provision of § 15B can result in the landlord losing the right to make any deductions at all, and willful violations may entitle the tenant to treble (three times) the amount wrongfully withheld plus court costs and attorney's fees. Tenants should photograph the unit at move-in and obtain a written move-in condition statement signed by the landlord.
To evict a tenant in Attleboro, a landlord must first serve a written notice to quit. For nonpayment of rent, the notice period is 14 days. For lease violations, it is 30 days. For no-fault termination of a month-to-month tenancy, at least 30 days' written notice is required, expiring at the end of a rental period (M.G.L. c. 186, § 12). After the notice period expires, the landlord must file a summary process (eviction) action in the Southeastern Housing Court.
Tenants have the right to raise defenses in court, including claims of retaliation, breach of the implied warranty of habitability, or procedural defects in the eviction notice. Self-help eviction — changing locks, removing belongings, or shutting off utilities — is illegal and may result in significant damages against the landlord. The entire court process typically takes several weeks to months.
Attleboro renters can seek free or low-cost legal help from South Coastal Counties Legal Services (sccls.org), which serves Bristol County residents who meet income eligibility requirements. Greater Boston Legal Services (gbls.org) also takes cases from the greater Massachusetts area. MassLegalHelp (masslegalhelp.org) provides self-help guides on housing issues including eviction, security deposits, and repair rights.
The Attleboro Board of Health can inspect rental units for State Sanitary Code violations. The Massachusetts Attorney General's Office has a consumer protection hotline and a public guide to tenant rights available at mass.gov/ago. Tenants facing eviction can also seek assistance from Community Legal Aid (communitylegal.org), which serves the western and central Massachusetts region.
No. Massachusetts banned rent control statewide in 1994, and while the state prohibition was lifted in 2020, Attleboro has not enacted any rent control ordinance. Landlords may charge and increase rent freely subject to notice requirements.
There is no limit on rent increases in Attleboro. For a month-to-month tenancy, your landlord must provide at least 30 days' written notice before a rent increase takes effect. During a fixed-term lease, rent cannot be raised until the lease ends. A rent increase within six months of a complaint or exercise of legal rights is presumed retaliatory under M.G.L. c. 186, § 18.
Under M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B, your landlord must return your deposit — plus any accrued interest — with an itemized statement of deductions within 30 days of move-out. Failure to comply can result in loss of all deduction rights, and willful violations may entitle you to treble damages plus attorney's fees.
For a no-fault termination of a month-to-month tenancy, your landlord must give at least 30 days' written notice expiring at the end of a rental period (M.G.L. c. 186, § 12). For nonpayment of rent, the notice is 14 days. After the notice period, the landlord must file a court action — they cannot remove you without a judgment.
No. Self-help eviction is illegal in Massachusetts. A landlord who changes your locks, removes your possessions, or shuts off heat, water, or electricity to force you out without a court order is violating state law. You may seek an emergency court order restoring your access and may be entitled to damages including a minimum of three months' rent.
You can report violations to the Attleboro Board of Health, which enforces the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code (105 CMR 410). You may also be entitled to withhold rent or use the repair-and-deduct remedy under M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L (up to four months' rent for significant violations after written notice). Contact South Coastal Counties Legal Services (sccls.org) for legal advice.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Massachusetts landlord-tenant law is complex; consult a licensed Massachusetts attorney or legal services organization for advice specific to your situation. Laws may change — verify current statutes at mass.gov or with a qualified attorney.
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