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Law Pebble

Boston, MA: Tenant Rules, Courts and Legal Help

How is this page verified?Every figure on this page comes from a source listed on it: published 50-state surveys that we cross-check (a number appears only when at least two agree) or the official government page named under Sources. Local rules were read on the official page on 2026-10-20 and are re-checked on a schedule. Laws change, so confirm with the source before you act.How we verifyBy Law Pebble Editorial Team

Boston has a city Office of Housing Stability that helps tenants facing eviction and points them to free legal help.

Boston by the numbers

MeasureFigureNote
Population (2024 estimate)673,458City of Boston, down 0.8% since the 2020 census base.
Poverty rate, Suffolk County15.5%Census SAIPE 2024 county estimate.
Median household income, Suffolk County$95,174Census SAIPE 2024 county estimate.
Traffic deaths, Suffolk County, 2022283.53 per 100,000 residents (countywide, not city only). NHTSA FARS.

Boston's Office of Housing Stability

The Office of Housing Stability is at 26 Court Street, Boston, MA 02108. You can call 617-635-4200 or email housingstability@boston.gov. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Legal help the City lists

  • Greater Boston Legal Services: 617-371-1234.
  • Harvard Legal Aid Bureau: 617-495-4408.
  • Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program: 617-654-0400.
  • Volunteer Lawyer's Project: 617-603-1700, which offers eviction help for tenants and owner-occupied landlords.
  • Mass Legal Help (masslegalhelp.org), which lists no phone number on the City's page.
  • The Access to Counsel program aims to prevent evictions in eligible households with students enrolled in K-12 schools. The City page does not list eligibility details, so check the program page.

If you receive a Notice to Quit

  1. Keep copies of your lease and any addendum, rent receipts, security deposit receipts and written communications with your landlord.
  2. Contact the Office of Housing Stability and seek legal help early.
  3. Check whether the notice was delivered properly and includes the required information. A defective notice can be a defense.
  4. Watch for the Summons and Complaint, which sets your court date and response deadline. If you do not appear in court, the judge will rule for the landlord.
  5. You may transfer the case to Eastern Housing Court at no cost. The Notice to Transfer must be filed by the day before the original court date.
  6. You can respond with a counterclaim, unless the eviction is for a lease violation.

Lockouts and utility shutoffs

Landlords must follow the legal process. They cannot force a tenant out by changing the locks or shutting off utilities. If your belongings are dumped on the street or in the trash after an eviction, the City says to call the court that ordered the eviction.

Massachusetts rules that also apply in Boston

City rules sit on top of state law. In Massachusetts, individuals can bring small claims of up to $7,000, the personal injury filing deadline is generally 3 years and landlords have about 30 days to return a security deposit. See the full Massachusetts legal guide for statutes and notes.

Small claims limit$7,000
Personal injury deadline3 years
Security deposit return30 days

Related guides: how evictions work, security deposit rules, tenant repairs and habitability and how small claims court works.

Where to get help in Boston

Sources and how we checked

Local rules above were read on the official pages below on 2026-10-20. City rules change, so check the page before you act.

  • City of Boston: Help for tenants facing eviction
  • Population: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 estimates (SUB-EST2024).
  • Poverty and income: Census Bureau SAIPE 2024 county estimates.
  • Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2022 data, summed by county.