Do this today
- Write the problem. Date it. Keep photos.
- Open a request with Boston Inspectional Services or dial 311.
- Do not skip rent until legal aid has read the process for your state.
Who inspects a Boston rental?
Boston Inspectional Services is the local conditions door, and 311 is often how you open a request. An inspector’s dated notice is a different kind of paper than a text to the manager. Inspectional Services is the Boston conditions door. Housing Court is the possession door. Confirm any Boston-only ordinance on the City site.
Can I stop paying rent to force the repair?
Sometimes Massachusetts law provides a repair-and-deduct or rent-withholding process, and sometimes skipping rent is grounds for eviction. That line is in Massachusetts estates for years and summary process statutes. Ask legal aid before you change what you pay.
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
My landlord in Boston will not make repairs — what can I do?
Put it in writing. Keep photos. File with Boston Inspectional Services or dial 311. Do not skip rent until legal aid has read Massachusetts estates for years and summary process statutes with you.
Is 311 enough?
311 opens a City request. It is not a court case and it is not legal aid. Keep the request number. If the unit is dangerous tonight, 911 or the utility first.
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