Massachusetts Standard Residential Lease Agreement Template

Maximum Amount: One month’s rent (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(1)(b)(iii)).

• Receipt Required? Yes, a landlord must provide a written receipt upon receiving the deposit, followed by a formal bank escrow disclosure receipt within 30 days of receiving the funds (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(2)(b); M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(3)(a)).

Return Period: Within 30 days after the tenancy terminates and the tenant vacates (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)).

• Itemized List Required? Yes, if any portion of the security deposit is withheld, the landlord must deliver an itemized list of damages, alongside proof of repair costs, within the 30-day return window (M.G.L. c. 186, § 15B(4)(iii)).

Fire Insurance Information (if requested by a tenant): Landlords must provide a written disclosure detailing the building’s fire insurance company name, policy number, and coverage limits within 15 days of a tenant’s written request (M.G.L. c. 186, § 21).

Lead-Based Paint Disclosure: For residential structures constructed before January 1, 1978, the landlord must disclose any known lead-based paint hazards and provide an EPA-approved information pamphlet prior to lease execution (40 CFR § 745.113).

Notice of Occupants’ Legal Rights and Responsibilities: Every property owner must distribute Massachusetts’s official Occupants’ Legal Rights and Responsibilities Notice (PDF) either directly to their tenants or post it permanently in a visible, central common area (105 CMR § 410.400(C)-(D)).

Owner and Manager Identity: The written lease agreement must disclose, or a durable sign adjacent to the mailboxes must conspicuously display, the legal name, street address, and monitored telephone number of the property owner, manager, or agent authorized to handle the site and receive legal service of process (105 CMR § 410.400(A)).

Security Deposit Acknowledgment Receipt: At the moment a security deposit is accepted, the landlord must provide an immediate written receipt specifying the total amount, date, property address, recipient’s name, and the signature of the person accepting the funds (ch. 186, § 15B(2)(b)).

Security Deposit Bank Account and Interest Receipt: Within 30 days of receiving a security deposit, the landlord must provide a secondary written receipt disclosing the specific interest-bearing account number, alongside the name and branch location of the financial institution holding the escrow funds (ch. 186, § 15B(3)).

Statement of Condition: If a security deposit is accepted, the landlord must provide the tenant with a separate, signed written document detailing the precise physical condition of the unit and a comprehensive list of all pre-existing damages within 10 days of receiving the funds or the start of the tenancy (ch. 186, § 15B(2)(c))