Massachusetts has some of the strictest security deposit laws in the country. A missed deadline, a missing receipt, or an improper deduction can trigger three times the deposit in damages — plus attorney's fees. Amavera helps you get the documentation right.
Massachusetts landlords who fail to return the security deposit with a signed, itemized list of damages and supporting documentation within 30 days of the end of tenancy can be ordered to pay triple the deposit amount, plus court costs and reasonable attorney's fees. The penalty is mandatory — courts do not have discretion to reduce it.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that landlords cannot deduct from security deposits for reasonable wear and tear — including repainting, carpet cleaning, and routine turnover costs. Any lease clause requiring tenants to pay for professional cleaning is unenforceable. Landlords who make improper deductions risk forfeiting the entire deposit and facing triple damages.
Amavera lets you invite tenants to document each unit's condition at move-in using a guided mobile app. You manage everything from the web portal — no app download required for you. Every report becomes documentation you can rely on.
In Massachusetts, the burden of proof is on the landlord. If a tenant disputes your deductions and you cannot produce timestamped photos, receipts, and an itemized statement, you lose — regardless of the actual damage. The triple damages penalty exists specifically because the legislature determined that undocumented deductions are indefensible.
Amavera gives you the documentation before you need it. Invite your tenant to inspect at move-in — 10 minutes creates the baseline. Invite again at move-out — 10 minutes creates the comparison. The AI does the analysis. The PDF is ready before the 30-day clock starts.
If you manage several units, you're doing move-in and move-out inspections year-round. Buy a Pro 30 bundle on the portal and invite tenants as each lease begins — 30 inspection reports at a significant discount, enough to cover your turnovers without thinking about it.
Single reports available at $30 each. Bundles of 3, 5, and 10 also available.
Buy report credits, invite your tenants, and review inspection reports — all from the portal.
Open the Landlord Portal