Do this today
- Write the date, time, and how they entered.
- Ask in writing for notice next time, if that is the rule.
- If it felt like harassment, Boston Inspectional Services or legal aid — not a group chat.
Can a landlord in Boston enter whenever they want?
Generally no — except that emergencies and the lease can change the picture. Massachusetts estates for years and summary process statutes is the Massachusetts starting point. Write down any entry you believe was improper. Inspectional Services is the Boston conditions door. Housing Court is the possession door. Confirm any Boston-only ordinance on the City site.
What if they keep coming in?
A pattern of unannounced entry can be a harassment or privacy problem. Boston Inspectional Services may take a complaint. Legal aid can tell you whether Massachusetts gives a specific remedy. Do not change the locks without advice.
The Boston layer
Inspectional Services is the Boston conditions door. Housing Court is the possession door. Confirm any Boston-only ordinance on the City site.
Massachusetts estates for years and summary process statutes (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186; ch. 239) is the Massachusetts floor. We name it. We do not paraphrase a day-count or a dollar cap out of it.
Boston questions
How much notice does a landlord in Boston have to give before entering?
That hour-count or day-count is in Massachusetts estates for years and summary process statutes and sometimes in a city rule. This desk does not invent it. Write down what happened and take it to legal aid or Boston Inspectional Services.
What number should I call in Boston?
Danger: 911. Mental-health crisis: 988. City services: 311. Court papers: LawHelp.org the same day. Boston Inspectional Services does not replace legal aid when a case is filed.
National answers on this desk
Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org