Key points
- At or before the start of a tenancy, a landlord may require only first month’s rent, last month’s rent, a security deposit of no more than one month’s rent, and the cost of a new lock and keys.
- Application fees and upfront pet fees are not on that list.
- Since August 1, 2025, a broker’s fee is paid by whoever hired the broker. If you did not hire one, you should not be asked to pay the landlord’s broker.
- One free month on a 12-month lease works out to about 8.3% off the monthly rent. Compare buildings on that basis, and expect a renewal to be priced from the full rent unless the terms say otherwise.
What a landlord may collect before move-in
Massachusetts law lists the payments a landlord may require when a tenancy starts. Together they can reach about three months of rent plus the lock cost, but many landlords ask for less, such as first month only, or first and last.
Get a receipt for every payment. For a security deposit you should also receive a statement of the unit’s condition and, within 30 days, a receipt naming the bank where the deposit is held.
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| First month’s rent | One month |
| Last month’s rent | One month; the landlord owes you interest on it |
| Security deposit | No more than one month’s rent |
| New lock and key | The cost of buying and installing them |
Charges that are not allowed
Anything beyond the list above may not be required upfront. The Attorney General’s guide and the statute rule out, among others:
- Application or processing fees charged by the landlord
- Upfront pet fees or pet deposits
- A broker’s fee, unless you hired that broker yourself
- Late fees before rent is 30 days overdue
- Credit or background check fees, which are not on the permitted list either; if you are asked and you pay, keep the receipt
Broker fees since August 1, 2025
Under the state law in effect since August 1, 2025, the party who hires a broker pays that broker. A broker hired by the landlord to list the unit is paid by the landlord; a renter who hires their own broker pays that broker. A broker cannot represent both sides of the same rental.
Before you engage a broker, and again before you sign a lease, the broker must give you a written fee disclosure stating who hired them, who pays and how much. A landlord may not add a surcharge to the rent to pass on its broker fee, or charge “administrative”, “selection” or “finder’s” fees in its place. Violations can lead to damages of up to three times the amount, plus attorney’s fees.
Reading move-in specials
Managed buildings often advertise concessions such as one or two months free on a 12-month lease. To compare buildings, spread the discount over the lease: one month free is about 8.3% off the monthly rent, half a month about 4.2%, two months about 16.7%. Where a building states how its special is applied, its terms govern.
Specials are usually offered on new leases. Whether they apply to a renewal or a move within the same building depends on the terms, and in most cases a renewal is priced from the full rent.
Monthly costs to budget for
Rent is not the only monthly cost. Newer buildings usually have separate meters, so tenants pay their own electricity and often gas; some older buildings with central heat include heat and hot water. Ask what is included before you compare rents.
- Electricity: in Boston, Cambridge and many nearby cities this is Eversource; some areas are served by National Grid, and a few towns, such as Belmont and Wellesley, run municipal utilities. Arrange the account in your name once the lease is signed, with service starting on your lease start date; some buildings ask to see it before handing over keys
- Gas: National Grid or Eversource, depending on the city
- Internet, which you usually arrange yourself
- Renters insurance, which many managed buildings require in the lease; it covers your belongings and your own liability, not the building
- Parking, storage and pet charges, which vary by building; ask before you apply. An assistance animal approved as a reasonable accommodation is not treated as a pet for these charges
- Water and sewer, usually included. Massachusetts allows a landlord to bill tenants separately for water only under conditions set by state law, including separate meters and a written agreement
General information for renters in Massachusetts, current as of the date shown. It is not legal advice; read your own lease and ask about each charge before you pay.