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Randolph Town is a diverse suburban community in Norfolk County, located about 15 miles south of Boston. With a significant renter population drawn by its relative affordability compared to inner Boston suburbs, Randolph Town tenants frequently search for information on security deposit rights, eviction procedures, and what protections apply when landlords fail to make repairs.
Randolph Town has no local tenant protection ordinances beyond what Massachusetts state law provides. Fortunately, Massachusetts state law is among the most tenant-protective in the country, offering strong rules on security deposits, habitability, retaliation, and notice requirements. Every renter in Randolph Town benefits from these statewide protections regardless of the type of rental unit or lease arrangement.
This article provides an informational overview of the tenant rights laws that apply to renters in Randolph Town, Massachusetts. It is not legal advice. Laws change and individual circumstances vary — if you have a specific legal problem, consult a qualified attorney or contact a legal aid organization in your area.
Randolph Town has no rent control, and there is no local ordinance limiting how much a landlord can raise rent. Massachusetts voters approved Ballot Question 9 in November 1994, which repealed rent control in every Massachusetts city and town — including Cambridge, Boston, and Brookline, which had active programs at the time. That voter mandate effectively prohibited rent control statewide.
In 2020, Massachusetts enacted Chapter 358 of the Acts of 2020, which removed the blanket statewide prohibition and theoretically allows individual cities and towns to enact rent stabilization ordinances again. However, as of April 2026, no Massachusetts municipality — including Randolph Town — has enacted a new rent control or rent stabilization ordinance under this authority.
In practice, this means a landlord in Randolph Town can raise rent by any amount at the end of a lease term or with proper notice on a month-to-month tenancy. Tenants have no legal right to challenge the amount of a rent increase. The only protections are procedural: the landlord must provide adequate notice before a new rent takes effect, and any rent increase may not be used as a pretext for unlawful retaliation under M.G.L. c. 186, § 18.
Massachusetts provides a robust set of tenant protections that apply to every renter in Randolph Town. Key protections are summarized below with their statutory authority.
Security Deposit (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 landlord must provide the tenant with written notice of the bank name and account number within 30 days. The landlord must also provide an annual interest statement and pay the accrued interest to the tenant each year. Failure to comply with any of these requirements can entitle the tenant to immediate return of the full deposit plus damages.
Habitability and the Sanitary Code (M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L; 105 CMR 410): Every landlord in Massachusetts is required to maintain rental property in compliance with the State Sanitary Code (105 CMR 410). This covers heat (minimum 68°F from September 15 through June 15), hot water, structural integrity, pest control, and working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Tenants may report violations to the Randolph Town Board of Health. If the landlord fails to make repairs after notice, tenants may have the right to withhold rent, repair and deduct costs (up to four months' rent under M.G.L. c. 111, § 127L), or terminate the lease if conditions are severe enough to constitute a breach of the implied warranty of habitability.
Notice Requirements (M.G.L. c. 186, § 12): A landlord must provide at least 30 days' written notice to terminate a month-to-month tenancy. That notice must expire at the end of a rental period — meaning if rent is due on the first of the month, notice given mid-month does not expire until the end of the following full rental period. Tenants must provide equivalent notice to vacate.
Anti-Retaliation (M.G.L. c. 186, § 18): Landlords are prohibited from retaliating against tenants who report housing code violations, contact a government agency, organize with other tenants, or exercise any other legal right. If a landlord raises rent, reduces services, or begins eviction proceedings within six months of a tenant exercising a protected right, retaliation is legally presumed. The tenant may raise retaliation as a defense in eviction proceedings and may be entitled to damages.
Lockout and Utility Shutoff Prohibition (M.G.L. c. 186, § 14): It is unlawful for a landlord to remove a tenant's belongings, change locks, or shut off utilities as a means of forcing the tenant out. A tenant subjected to a self-help eviction may recover actual damages, up to three months' rent or three times actual damages (whichever is greater), plus attorney's fees.
Anti-Discrimination (M.G.L. c. 151B): Massachusetts fair housing law prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, familial status, military status, receipt of public assistance (including Section 8), and several other protected classes. Randolph Town tenants who believe they have been discriminated against may file a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD).
Massachusetts has some of the strictest security deposit laws in the country, and all of them apply fully to Randolph Town renters under M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B.
Maximum amount: A landlord may not collect a security deposit exceeding one month's rent. In addition to the security deposit, a landlord may collect first month's rent, last month's rent, and the cost of a new lock and key — but nothing more at move-in.
Holding requirements: The deposit must be placed in a separate interest-bearing account at a Massachusetts bank within the state. Within 30 days of receiving the deposit, the landlord must provide the tenant with a written statement identifying the bank name, branch address, and account number. The landlord must also provide an annual statement of the interest earned and either pay it to the tenant or credit it toward rent.
Condition statement: At or before the start of the tenancy, the landlord must provide a written statement of the condition of the unit. The tenant has 15 days to return a signed copy or provide a corrected version. This document is critical for disputing deductions at move-out.
Return deadline: The landlord must return the security deposit — along with an itemized list of any deductions and any remaining interest — within 30 days after the tenancy ends.
Penalties for violations: If a landlord wrongfully withholds all or part of the deposit, fails to return it within 30 days, or commits any procedural violation under § 15B (such as failing to provide the bank account notice), the tenant is entitled to recover the full amount of the deposit plus interest, damages, and attorney's fees. A willful violation entitles the tenant to treble damages — three times the amount wrongfully withheld.
Evictions in Randolph Town must follow the formal legal process established under Massachusetts law. Landlords may not use self-help methods to remove a tenant.
Step 1 — Written Notice: Before filing in court, the landlord must serve the tenant with the appropriate written notice. The type and length of notice depends on the reason for eviction:
Step 2 — Summary Process (Eviction) Filing: If the tenant does not vacate after the notice period expires, the landlord must file a Summary Process (eviction) complaint in the Eastern Housing Court or the appropriate District Court serving Randolph Town. The tenant will receive a summons with a court date. The landlord cannot proceed without a court order.
Step 3 — Court Hearing: Both parties appear before a judge. Tenants may raise defenses including non-compliance with the sanitary code, retaliation (M.G.L. c. 186, § 18), improper notice, or breach of the warranty of habitability. Tenants may also request a jury trial in most eviction cases under M.G.L. c. 239.
Step 4 — Judgment and Execution: If the landlord obtains a judgment, the tenant typically has 10 days to appeal or vacate. The court then issues an Execution, which is the legal document allowing a constable or sheriff to remove the tenant. Only a constable or sheriff acting under a valid Execution may physically remove a tenant.
Self-Help Eviction Is Illegal (M.G.L. c. 186, § 14): A landlord who changes locks, removes doors or windows, shuts off heat, water, or electricity, or removes the tenant's belongings without a court order is committing an illegal self-help eviction. The tenant may sue for actual damages or up to three months' rent — whichever is greater — plus attorney's fees. Tenants subjected to a lockout should contact the police and an attorney immediately.
No Just Cause Requirement: Unlike Boston, which enacted a Just Cause Eviction ordinance in 2024, Randolph Town has no just cause eviction requirement. A landlord may terminate a month-to-month tenancy for any lawful reason (or no stated reason at all) with proper notice, as long as the termination is not retaliatory or discriminatory.
This article is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information on this page reflects Massachusetts law as of April 2026, but laws, regulations, and local ordinances can change at any time. Every tenancy is unique, and the outcome of any housing dispute depends on the specific facts involved. Renters in Randolph Town who have questions about their individual situation should consult a licensed Massachusetts attorney or contact a legal aid organization such as Greater Boston Legal Services. RentCheckMe makes no representations or warranties about the accuracy, completeness, or current applicability of the information presented here.
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