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Billerica is a mid-sized town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, located roughly 20 miles northwest of Boston along the Concord River. The town has seen steady residential growth in recent years, and a significant share of its approximately 45,000 residents rent their homes, ranging from apartment complexes near the Middlesex Turnpike corridor to two- and three-family homes common throughout New England.
Massachusetts offers some of the strongest statewide tenant protections in the country, and those protections apply fully to Billerica renters. The most frequently searched topics for Billerica tenants include security deposit rules, landlord repair obligations, and the eviction notice process. Because Billerica has no additional local ordinances beyond state law, your rights here are defined entirely by the Massachusetts General Laws and the state Sanitary Code.
This article is intended as an informational overview of tenant rights in Billerica, Massachusetts. It is not legal advice. Laws can change, and individual circumstances vary — if you are facing eviction, a habitability problem, or a security deposit dispute, consult a qualified attorney or contact a free legal aid organization in your area.
Billerica has no rent control, and none is permitted under current practice. Massachusetts voters approved Ballot Question 9 in November 1994, which repealed rent control in every municipality in the state — including Cambridge, Boston, and Brookline, the three cities that had maintained active rent control programs at the time. From 1994 onward, no Massachusetts city or town could legally impose rent control.
In 2020, the state legislature passed Chapter 358 of the Acts of 2020, which technically removed the statutory ban and allowed municipalities to enact their own rent stabilization ordinances again — provided they obtained home rule authorization. However, as of April 2026, no Massachusetts municipality, including Billerica, has enacted a new rent control or rent stabilization ordinance under this authority.
In practice, this means Billerica landlords may raise rent by any amount they choose, at the end of any lease term, as long as they provide proper written notice (at least 30 days for month-to-month tenants under M.G.L. c. 186, § 12). There is no cap on how much rent can increase between tenancies or upon lease renewal. Renters should carefully review any lease renewal terms and be aware of their right to receive timely written notice of any rent increase.
Massachusetts General Laws provide Billerica renters with a comprehensive set of protections covering habitability, security deposits, notice requirements, and retaliation. The following is a summary of the most important protections.
Implied Warranty of Habitability (M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L; 105 CMR 410)
Every rental unit in Massachusetts must be maintained in habitable condition in compliance with the State Sanitary Code (105 CMR 410). Landlords must provide adequate heat (at least 68°F between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. from September 15 through June 15), hot water, weatherproofing, working plumbing, and freedom from pest infestations. Tenants who identify violations may report them to the Billerica Board of Health. Under M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L, tenants may withhold rent, pursue a repair-and-deduct remedy, or terminate the lease if conditions are serious and the landlord fails to remedy them after notice.
Security Deposit Rules (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B)
Landlords may collect a security deposit of no more than one month's rent. The deposit must be held in a separate, interest-bearing bank account, and the tenant must be notified in writing of the bank name, address, and account number within 30 days of receipt. Landlords must return the deposit — with accrued interest — within 30 days of the tenancy ending, along with an itemized written statement of any deductions. Failure to comply can expose the landlord to liability for treble (triple) damages plus attorney's fees.
Notice to Terminate a Tenancy (M.G.L. c. 186, § 12)
To end a month-to-month tenancy, either the landlord or the tenant must provide at least 30 days' written notice. The notice must be timed to expire at the end of a full rental period. Landlords cannot simply demand that a tenant leave without complying with this statutory requirement.
Anti-Retaliation Protection (M.G.L. c. 186, § 18)
Massachusetts law strongly protects tenants who exercise their legal rights. A landlord may not raise rent, reduce services, refuse to renew a lease, or attempt to evict a tenant in retaliation for reporting code violations, contacting the Board of Health, organizing with other tenants, or exercising any other right under state or local law. If adverse action is taken within six months of a protected activity, the law presumes it is retaliatory. Tenants who prevail on a retaliation claim may recover up to three months' rent, attorney's fees, and costs.
Prohibition on Self-Help Eviction (M.G.L. c. 186, § 14)
Landlords are prohibited from locking out tenants, removing their belongings, shutting off utilities, or otherwise interfering with a tenant's quiet enjoyment of the premises outside of a court-ordered eviction process. Violations entitle the tenant to recover actual damages or three months' rent — whichever is greater — plus attorney's fees.
Protection Against Discrimination (M.G.L. c. 151B)
Massachusetts law prohibits housing discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, religion, familial status, marital status, military/veteran status, receipt of public assistance, and source of income. The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) enforces these protections.
Massachusetts has some of the strictest security deposit rules in the country, and they apply in full to Billerica rentals under M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B.
Maximum Amount: A landlord may collect a security deposit of no more than the equivalent of one month's rent. Collecting more than this cap is a violation of state law.
Holding Requirements: The deposit must be deposited in a separate, interest-bearing escrow account at a Massachusetts bank within 30 days of receipt. The landlord must provide the tenant with a written receipt identifying the bank name, address, account number, and annual interest rate. The tenant earns interest on the deposit at the rate paid by the bank (or 5% per year, whichever is lower) for each year the tenancy continues.
Condition Statement: Within 10 days of receiving the deposit (or upon move-in, whichever is later), the landlord must provide a written statement of the current condition of the unit. If the landlord fails to do so, they forfeit the right to make deductions for pre-existing damage.
Return Deadline: The landlord must return the full deposit — or the remaining balance after lawful deductions — within 30 days after the tenancy ends. The return must be accompanied by an itemized written statement of any deductions, with documentation such as receipts or invoices.
Penalties for Non-Compliance: If a landlord wrongfully withholds the deposit or fails to comply with any of the procedural requirements outlined above, the tenant may sue for treble (triple) the amount wrongfully withheld, plus reasonable attorney's fees and court costs (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(7)). Massachusetts courts have held that even technical violations — such as failing to provide the bank account information in writing — can trigger this penalty.
Billerica landlords must follow the formal eviction (called "summary process") procedure established under Massachusetts law. There are no shortcuts — self-help eviction is illegal, and any attempt to remove a tenant outside of a court process exposes the landlord to significant liability.
Step 1 — Written Notice to Quit (M.G.L. c. 186, §§ 11–12)
Before filing in court, a landlord must first serve the tenant with a written Notice to Quit. The required notice period depends on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Summary Process Summons and Complaint (M.G.L. c. 239)
If the tenant does not vacate after the notice period expires, the landlord may file a Summary Process (eviction) action in the Lowell District Court or Middlesex County Housing Court (the Housing Court has a session in Lowell that covers Billerica). The tenant will be served with a Summons and Complaint and given a court date, typically within 10–14 days.
Step 3 — Court Hearing
Both parties appear before a judge. Tenants have the right to raise defenses, including habitability issues (the "repair and deduct" or rent withholding defense), retaliation by the landlord, or procedural defects in the notice. Tenants also have the right to request a jury trial in most eviction cases. Agreements reached at court (called "stipulations") may allow tenants additional time to pay or vacate.
Step 4 — Execution and Move-Out
If the court rules in the landlord's favor and issues a judgment, the landlord must obtain an "Execution" (a court order) before the tenant can be removed. A constable or sheriff — not the landlord — must serve and enforce the Execution. Tenants have 10 days after judgment to appeal or seek a stay of execution (M.G.L. c. 239, § 5).
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal (M.G.L. c. 186, § 14): A landlord may never lock a tenant out, remove their belongings, shut off heat, water, or electricity, or otherwise interfere with the tenant's use of the unit to force them to leave. Doing so entitles the tenant to sue for the greater of actual damages or three months' rent, plus attorney's fees and court costs.
Just Cause Eviction: Billerica has no just cause eviction ordinance. Landlords may terminate a month-to-month tenancy without stating a reason, provided they give the required 30-day notice. However, any eviction that is retaliatory (M.G.L. c. 186, § 18) or discriminatory (M.G.L. c. 151B) is unlawful regardless of notice.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information here reflects our understanding of Massachusetts and Billerica tenant rights laws as of April 2026, but laws change and individual circumstances vary significantly. Renters facing eviction, habitability problems, security deposit disputes, or other housing issues should consult a licensed Massachusetts attorney or contact a qualified legal aid organization. RentCheckMe is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation.
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