Mass. Gen. Laws » Part III Title III Chapter 239
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 239, § 1A (2026)

Land or tenements used for residential purposes; action by lessor under this chapter to recover possession; conditions and restrictions

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 1A. A lessor of land or tenements used for residential purposes may bring an action under this chapter to recover possession thereof before the determination of the lease by its own limitation, subject to the following conditions and restrictions. The tenancy of the premises at issue shall have been created for at least six months duration by a written lease in which a specific termination date is designated, a copy of which, signed by all parties, shall be annexed to the summons. No such action may be initiated before the latest date permitted by the lease for either party to notify the other of his intention to renew or extend the rental agreement, or in any case before thirty days before the designated termination date of the tenancy. The person bringing the action shall notify all defendants by registered mail that he has done so, which notification shall be mailed not later than twenty-four hours after the action is initiated. The person bringing the action shall demonstrate substantial grounds upon which the court could reasonably conclude that the defendant is likely to continue in possession of the premises at issue without right after the designated termination date, which grounds shall be set forth in the writ. No execution for possession may issue in any such action before the day next following the designated termination date of the tenancy. Any action brought pursuant to this section shall conform to and be governed by the provisions of this chapter in all other respects and no remedy or procedure otherwise available to any party, including any stay of execution which the court has discretion to allow, shall be denied solely because the action was brought pursuant to this section.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases, 1975–2019 · leading case: Adjartey v. Cent. Div. of the Hous. Court Departmentand, 120 N.E.3d 297 (Mass. 2019).
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Adjartey v. Cent. Div. of the Hous. Court Departmentand, 120 N.E.3d 297 (Mass. 2019). “Under G. L. c. 239, § 1A, a landlord may initiate a no-fault summary process action thirty days prior to a lease's termination where certain statutory requirements are met and where there are "substantial grounds upon which the court could reasonably conclude that the defendant…”
Commonwealth v. Molina, 948 N.E.2d 402 (Mass. 2011). “, G. L. c. 239, § 1A, it is not reasonable to assume that a hotel guest, including the defendant, would understand or interpret the single word “eviction” on the registration card as signaling that he could be evicted without notice.”
Harborview Residents' Comm., Inc. v. Quincy Hous. Auth., 332 N.E.2d 891 (Mass. 1975). “Section A (2) provides: “The LHA shall take no administrative or court action against any Tenant involving any matter before the Hearing Panel, the LHA Board or .”
Meikle v. Nurse (Mass. 2016). · cites it 2× “186, § 15B, as a defense to a landlord's claim for possession in a summary process action brought under G. L. c. 239, § 1A. The issue arises from a Housing Court judge's disposition of a summary process action brought by Garth Meikle, the landlord, against Patricia Nurse, the…”
Moore Real Est. Trust v. Din-Dayal, 2006 Mass. App. Div. 123 (Mass. Dist. Ct., App. Div. 2006). · cites it 2× “the action should have been dismissed because the plaintiff failed to comply with the G.Lc. 239, §1A requirement that notice of the action be sent to her by registered mail.”
Harborview Residents'comm. Inc. v. Quincy Hous. Auth., 332 N.E.2d 891 (Mass. 1975). “Section A (2) provides: "The LHA shall take no administrative or court action against any Tenant involving any matter before the Hearing Panel, the LHA Board or .”
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