What can a landlord do if a tenant is late on rent payments?

In Massachusetts, a landlord is allowed to take certain actions if a tenant is late on rent payments. The landlord must provide the tenant with a written notice the first day of the missed payment. This notice should include the amount of rent due, the date on which it is due, and a warning that an eviction process may begin if the tenant does not pay the rent within a certain time frame. The landlord is allowed to charge a late fee for rent payments that are more than 10 days late. This fee must be a reasonable amount and cannot be higher than 5% of the rent. If the rent is not paid within the given time frame, the landlord may begin the eviction process. This process involves applying to court for a judgment of eviction. If the court decides in the landlord’s favor, a “Notice to Quit” is issued. This notice requires the tenant to move out of the property within a certain amount of days, usually 30. If the tenant does not move out within the allotted time period, the landlord can use the court judgment to ask the sheriff to physically evict the tenant and move the tenant’s property out of the property. In addition, the landlord has the right to take the tenant to court to seek repayment for the unpaid rent, late fees, and any additional costs associated with starting the eviction process. In summary, a landlord in Massachusetts has the right to issue a written notice to tenants when rent is late, as well as charge reasonable late fees and begin the eviction process. The landlord also has the right to seek repayment and take the tenant to court.

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What can a landlord do if a tenant is late on rent payments?

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