Massachusetts law about tenants' security deposits

Laws, regulations, cases and web sources on security deposit law.

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Best bet

Security deposits and last month's rent, Mass. Legal Help, 2025.
Part of the eBook Legal tactics: Tenants' rights in Massachusetts. Provides detailed information for tenants on security deposit law.

Massachusetts laws and regulations

Laws

MGL c. 186, § 15B Security deposits
Provides the detailed requirements for handling security deposits.

• Vacation rentals, see subsection (9): "The provisions of this section shall not apply to any lease, rental, occupancy or tenancy of one hundred days or less in duration which lease or rental is for a vacation or recreational purpose."

Regulations

940 CMR 3.00 General regulation (Consumer protection)

• 940 CMR 3.17(4) Landlord-tenant: Security deposits and rent in advance

Federal laws and regulations

Laws

11 U.S.C. § 365(h) Executory contracts and unexpired leases
If a landlord declares bankruptcy, a tenant's security deposit is not considered an asset of the bankruptcy estate.

Regulations

24 CFR § 886.315 Section 8 Housing security and utility deposits

Selected cases

Castenholz v. Caira, 21 Mass. App. Ct. 758 (1986)
If a landlord does not place a security deposit in an escrow account within 30 days of receipt, and fails to return the security deposit to the tenant, and the tenant must go to court to get the money back, the landlord must pay triple damages, interest, costs, and attorney’s fees.

Dolores v. Gustafson, 2009 Mass. App. Div. 267 (2009)
Even if the landlord returns the security deposit within 30 days of the end of the tenancy, triple damages may apply if the landlord has not followed any of the other provisions of the law that trigger triple damages, such as keeping the money in a separate account or providing a proper itemized list of damage and repairs made. (Request a copy of this case)

Karaa v. Yim, 86 Mass. App. Ct. 714 (2014)
"[T]he landlords' return of the security deposit more than thirty days after the end of the tenancy, … did not give rise to treble damages, where the tenants had offered the security deposit as compensation for their own breach of the lease."

Phillips v. Equity Residential Management, LLC, 478 Mass. 251 (2017)
Not all violations of the security deposit act call for triple damages. A tenant is only entitled to recover triple damages for those violations of the act that specifically call for an award of triple damages.

Ryan v. Mary Ann Morse Healthcare Corp., 483 Mass. 612 (2019)
The security deposit law applies to assisted living residences, but those residences can also charge additional up-front fees for the unique services they provide that are not applicable to ordinary landlord-tenant relationships.

Taylor v. Burke, 69 Mass. App. Ct. 77 (2007)
Placing the money in an out-of-state bank does not conform to the statute.

Forms

Housing forms, checklists, and letters, Mass. Legal Help, 2025.
Provides sample forms and letters, including:

• Statement of condition (sample)
  This is a sample statement of the condition of the premises you have leased or rented. This statement must be returned to the Landlord, Lessor or Agent within 15 days after you receive it or within 15 days after you move in, whichever is later.
• Security deposit demand letter
  "If your landlord does not follow the law, you can ask her to return your security deposit - even if you are still living in the apartment."
• Security deposit demand tenants
  "If 45 days pass and you have not heard from your landlord use this letter to demand that she return your money, plus interest."

Many print legal sources in the law libraries also include sample forms. See Print sources on this page for more information.

Web sources

FAQ about security deposits, MassLandlords.net Newsletter, March 2020.
Helpful information for landlords on page 20 regarding how to handle security deposits.

Getting your security deposit back, Mass. Legal Help, 2025.
Explains what a tenant needs to do to get their security deposit returned.

How to be a landlord in Massachusetts and avoid legal trouble: Security deposits, chapter 25. A. Joseph Ross, May 2020.
Helpful information for landlords.

Mandatory statement of condition, Mass. Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.
If a landlord or agent takes a security deposit, they must provide a signed, separate statement of the present condition of the apartment including a comprehensive list of any existing damage.

Security deposits, Mass. Housing Court.
Information for before you move in, during the tenancy and after you move out. Pages include:

• Find out what landlords can use security deposits for
  Learn about how landlords can legally use security deposits.
• Learn about holding a security deposit
  Find out what a landlord's requirements are for holding a security deposit.

“Within 30 days of depositing the security deposit, the landlord must give the tenant in writing: The name and location of the bank where the deposit is; The amount of the deposit; The account number”

• Learn about paying a security deposit
  Find information about collecting or paying a security deposit.
• Learn about returning or getting back a security deposit
  Find out what the requirements are for a tenant to get a security deposit back.

“A landlord must return a tenant’s security deposit and any interest, minus any portion that was rightfully subtracted, within 30 days after the tenant moves out.”

Security deposits, MassLandlords.net.
MassLandlords is a landlord trade association for Massachusetts. This article includes an introduction to Massachusetts security deposit law for landlords, what must be in a security deposit receipt, a checklist to avoid security deposit triple damages, how to make a security deposit return, and more.

Print sources

Every landlord's legal guide by Marcia Stewart, Nolo, 2022. (2024 eBook available with library card)
Includes sample forms for Security Deposit Itemization and a sample letter for Returning Entire Security Deposit.

Every tenant's legal guide by Janet Portman, Nolo, 2021. (2024 eBook available with library card)
Chapter 4: Security deposits; Chapter 16: Moving out and getting your security deposit back. Includes a sample Demand for Return of Security Deposit form.

Massachusetts landlord survival guide, Greater Boston Real Estate Board, 2020.
Includes sample forms for landlords to use.

Massachusetts landlord-tenant law by George Warshaw, 2^nd ed., Lexis, 2001 with supplement. (eBook available with library card)
Chapter 17 covers security deposits. The supplement to section 17.8 explains how the landlord should properly fill out the Statement of Condition, as well as when the tenant needs to return it to the landlord or agent to avoid possible legal problems.

Massachusetts landlord-tenant practice: Law and forms: Security deposits and last month's rent, G. Emil Ward, 2013.

Massachusetts Practice:

• vol. 14C (Summary of basic law), 5^th ed., Thomson Reuters, 2014 with supplement, Sections 12:68 – 12:79 Security Deposits
• vol. 33A (Landlord and tenant: With forms), 3^rd ed., West Group, 2000 with supplement, Chapter 1
• vol. 36A (Consumer law), 4^th ed., Thomson Reuters, 2021 with supplement, Sections 29:10 – 29:20 Security Deposits

Property management manual for Massachusetts rental owners by H. John Fisher, 6^th ed., HAP Housing, 2015.
Chapter 7: Security deposits and last month’s Rent.

Residential and commercial landlord-tenant practice in Massachusetts, 5^th ed. MCLE, 2024.
Chapter 1: Creating the residential tenancy.

Last updated:	April 22, 2025