Tenants' Rights

Springfield, Massachusetts: Tenants' Rights Lawyer

The best way to handle a dispute with your landlord is to get legal advice from a knowledgeable tenants' rights attorney before the conflict spirals out of control.

Robert A. DiTusa, Attorney at Law, has been handling tenants' rights cases for 14 years. We offer free initial consultations, where you can talk with Mr. DiTusa and get some preliminary answers to your legal questions about your rights as a tenant. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment.

Isn't a Tenants' Rights Lawyer Expensive?

Massachusetts has several "fee-shifting" statutes where landlord-tenant conflicts are concerned. Fee shifting means that the landlord may be required to pay your lawyer's fees if you win your case.

Rent Withholding and the Landlord's Failure to Make Repairs

Many tenants will refuse to pay rent if the landlord refuses to make necessary repairs to the rental property. Frequently, the next thing you know — an eviction notice is delivered and you are now on the defensive rather than the offensive.

If your landlord is refusing to make necessary repairs, the better course of action is to withhold your rent after first giving your landlord notice that you are withholding rent because of failure to make necessary repairs. We can inform the landlord that our law office is holding the rent money in escrow and it will be paid as soon as the repairs are performed.

The Warranty of Habitability

The warranty of habitability is a fancy way of saying that your landlord is required by law to provide you with a safe living environment free of major health or safety hazards. Massachusetts also has a strict liability rule if a tenant is injured on the rental property and the landlord has not complied with the warranty of habitability.

Attorney DiTusa is available to answer questions and represent tenants in a wide range of disputes with their landlords and property owners. For a free consultation, we encourage you to contact our office today. Call 413-233-4068 or send us an e-mail.