2025 Massachusetts Property Law Roundup
Learn What Changed This Year
2025 was a reset in Massachusetts real estate. For rental property owners, especially those with multifamily or mixed-use buildings, this year brought three major legal shifts that rebalanced the rental relationship in the Commonwealth.
Let’s break it down clearly, concisely, and in plain English, so you can walk away knowing how your property and business is affected.
1. Eviction Record Sealing (Effective May 5, 2025)
What changed?
Tenants can now petition the court to seal certain eviction records so they no longer show up in court searches, credit checks, or screening reports.
Why it matters to landlords:
This makes it harder to spot past filings. And yes, it’s fully legal for a tenant to say “I have no eviction record” if their case is sealed—even if it happened.
Which records can be sealed?
Cases dismissed or decided in the tenant’s favor: Sealed after the appeal period.
No-fault evictions (owner move-in, sale, reno): Sealed quickly.
Non-payment (if debt is paid): Can be sealed after full repayment.
Hardship non-payment: Must wait 4 years without another non-payment case.
Lease violations: 7-year wait.
Criminal-related evictions: Require a special hearing.
Bottom line: You’ll need to rethink screening policies. Relying on "any eviction = automatic no" could land you in fair-housing hot water. PropertyCraft has already adapted screening processes to account for this shift.
2. Broker Fee Reform (Effective August 1, 2025)
What changed?
The party who hires the broker pays the broker. Period.
Translation: If you (the landlord) hire a broker to list your unit, you can’t pass that fee to the tenant anymore. No more “tenant pays broker” unless the tenant actually hires them.
What’s still allowed?
Tenants can hire their own broker (and pay them).
Landlords can still hire brokers, just budget for it yourself.
Landlord takeaway:
Expect to adjust marketing budgets. Some owners will absorb the fee, others may try to recoup it by raising rent. But beware: tenant advocates and regulators are watching closely.
3. “Junk Fee” Regulations (Effective September 2, 2025)
What changed?
Massachusetts cracked down on hidden fees across all industries, including housing. Think of this as the “total transparency” rule for your rental listings.
New rules require you to:
Advertise the full monthly cost upfront (rent + all required fees).
List all optional fees (parking, amenities, etc.) and explain how tenants can opt out.
Stop burying charges like admin fees, tech fees, or "community costs" in fine print.
Applies to:
Every touchpoint: Craigslist ads, property websites, printed flyers, even what your leasing agent says over the phone.
Landlord risk:
Violations can be prosecuted as consumer fraud under Chapter 93A, which means triple damages and attorney fees. Ouch.
What we’re doing at PropertyCraft:
We’ve audited all client listings, lease packages, and fee structures to stay compliant, so you don’t have to worry.
What These Laws Signal
This year’s laws were part of a shift in how Massachusetts thinks about housing fairness and transparency.
2025 marked a turning point in the rental landscape:
Less reliance on past evictions: Screening must be sharper and more nuanced.
Higher transparency on costs: You must show your full hand upfront.
Greater legal exposure: Errors could be treated as deceptive business practices.
In other words, owning rental property in Massachusetts now requires sharper tools and deeper strategy.
What This Means for You, the Owner
If you’re managing your own property, these changes can feel like a maze of risk and red tape. At PropertyCraft, we’re leveraging these changes to help our clients thrive.
Laws change. Markets change. But our mission stays the same: To steward your property with care, clarity, and purpose.
What’s ahead in 2026? Check out our anticipatory review of Mass Laws to Watch in 2026.