Mass. Gen. Laws » Part II Title I Chapter 186
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 14 (2026)

Wrongful acts of landlord; premises used for dwelling or residential purposes; utilities, services, quiet enjoyment; penalties; remedies; waiver

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 14. Any lessor or landlord of any building or part thereof occupied for dwelling purposes, other than a room or rooms in a hotel, but including a manufactured home or land therefor, who is required by law or by the express or implied terms of any contract or lease or tenancy at will to furnish water, hot water, heat, light, power, gas, elevator service, telephone service, janitor service or refrigeration service to any occupant of such building or part thereof, who willfully or intentionally fails to furnish such water, hot water, heat, light, power, gas, elevator service, telephone service, janitor service or refrigeration service at any time when the same is necessary to the proper or customary use of such building or part thereof, or any lessor or landlord who directly or indirectly interferes with the furnishing by another of such utilities or services, or who transfers the responsibility for payment for any utility services to the occupant without his knowledge or consent, or any lessor or landlord who directly or indirectly interferes with the quiet enjoyment of any residential premises by the occupant, or who attempts to regain possession of such premises by force without benefit of judicial process, shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than three hundred dollars, or by imprisonment for not more than six months. Any person who commits any act in violation of this section shall also be liable for actual and consequential damages or three month's rent, whichever is greater, and the costs of the action, including a reasonable attorney's fee, all of which may be applied in setoff to or in recoupment against any claim for rent owed or owing. The superior and district courts shall have jurisdiction in equity to restrain violations of this section. The provisions of section eighteen of chapter one hundred and eighty-six and section two A of chapter two hundred and thirty-nine shall apply to any act taken as a reprisal against any person for reporting or proceeding against violations of this section. Any waiver of this provision in any lease or other rental agreement, except with respect to any restriction on the provision of a service specified in this section imposed by the United States or any agency thereof or the commonwealth or any agency or political subdivision thereof and not resulting from the acts or omissions of the landlord or lessor, and except for interruptions of any specified service during the time required to perform necessary repairs to apparatus necessary for the delivery of said service or interruptions resulting from natural causes beyond the control of the lessor or landlord, shall be void and unenforceable.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 148 cases (14 in the last 5 years), 1975–2026 · leading case: Simon v. Solomon, 431 N.E.2d 556 (Mass. 1982).
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Simon v. Solomon, 431 N.E.2d 556 (Mass. 1982). · cites it 11× “The judge subsequently awarded Solomon counsel fees, as permitted by the “quiet enjoyment” statute, G. L. c. 186, § 14, in an amount of slightly more than $40,000.”
Homesavers Council of Greenfield Gardens, Inc. v. Sanchez, 874 N.E.2d 497 (Mass. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 12× “See G. L. c. 186, § 14. The judge doubled the damages pursuant to G.”
Wolfberg v. Hunter, 432 N.E.2d 467 (Mass. 1982). · cites it 7× “186, § 18 (reprisal against tenant for union activities), breach of the common law warranty of habitability, intentional interference with quiet enjoyment in violation of G. L. c. 186, § 14, and three of their claims of violations of G.”
Doe v. New Bedford Hous. Auth., 630 N.E.2d 248 (Mass. 1994). · cites it 6× “The plaintiffs argue that the judge erred in granting summary judgment in favor of the defendant on their claim that the defendant violated G.L.c. 186, § 14 (1992 ed.), the so-called "quiet enjoyment" statute.”
Leardi v. Brown, 474 N.E.2d 1094 (Mass. 1985). · cites it 4× “” Allisan joined the class action as a named plaintiff, and brought individual claims on the basis of interference with quiet enjoyment of the premises in violation of G. L. c. 186, § 14, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.”
Al-Ziab v. Mourgis, 424 Mass. 847 (Mass. 1997). · cites it 12× “, without more, constitutes a violation of the statutory covenant of quiet enjoyment, G. L. c. 186, § 14. We conclude that it does not; proof of knowledge of the risk and of negligence on the part of a landlord at the least is a prerequisite to recovery under G.”
Hodge v. Klug, 604 N.E.2d 1329 (Mass. App. Ct. 1992). · cites it 6× “The very day the case came on for trial, February 7, 1991, Klug moved to amend his complaint by adding three counterclaims: (1) that the cottage contained conditions dangerous to his health and safety; (2) that the landlord had thereby and by other unspecified "acts or…”
Cruz Mgmt. Co. v. Thomas, 417 Mass. 782 (Mass. 1994). · cites it 6× “Thomas filed an answer and counterclaims alleging breach of the implied warranty of habitability; breach of the covenant of quiet enjoyment, see G. L. c. 186, § 14 (1992 ed.); and a violation of G.”
Clark v. Leisure Woods Estates, Inc., 45 N.E.3d 908 (Mass. App. Ct. 2016). · cites it 4× “The judge awarded injunctive relief and monetary damages for the violations, including two separate awards of three months’ rent to each household under G. L. c. 186, § 14 (§ 14), for the breaches of the covenant of quiet enjoyment, and a twenty percent rent abatement, trebled…”
Yorke Mgmt. v. Castro, 546 N.E.2d 342 (Mass. 1989). · cites it 3× “damages for breach of warranty *18 of habitability and interference with quiet enjoyment under G. L. c. 186, § 14 (1988 ed.), for retaliatory eviction pursuant to G.”
Darmetko v. Boston Hous. Auth., 393 N.E.2d 395 (Mass. 1979). · cites it 4× “Because of this interference, and based on his reading of G. L. c. 186, § 14, the judge ruled that the plaintiff was entitled to an additional $5,358, three times her monthly rent obligation ($47) for each month during which the leaky roof was unrepaired (from May 15, 1973, to…”
Baker v. Equity Residential Mgmt., L.L.C., 996 F. Supp. 2d 1 (D. Mass. 2014). · cites it 7× “However, *6 alleging a blanket trebling of damages, without more, fails to meet the defendants’ burden of proving — even to a reasonable probability — that the amount in controversy exceeds $5 million.”
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