On April 2, 2020, the Massachusetts state House of Representatives passed the “Act Providing for a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures during the COVID-19 Emergency.”
The Massachusetts Senate still needs to pass a version and the two versions will need to be conferenced.
The House bill does the following things:
- Prohibits landlords of residential and commercial property from terminating a residential or commercial tenancy.
- Prohibits landlords of residential and commercial property from or sending any notice including a notice to quit, requesting or demanding that a tenant of resident or commercial property or vacate the premises.
- Prohibits landlords from imposing a late fee for non-payment of rent from the date the act passes plus 30 days upon notice and documentation from a tenant that the non-payment of rent was due to financial impact related, directly or indirectly to the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19.
- Prohibits landlords from furnishing rental payment data to a consumer reporting agency related to the nonpayment of rent not later than 30 days after the missed rent payment.
- Allows landlords to terminate a residential or commercial lease for emergency purposes
- Prohibits housing courts from evicting residential or commercial tenants.
- Prohibits banks and credit companies from foreclosing on residential properties.
