Framingham, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 312 § 312-17
Cooking in rooms (Framingham Lodging Houses)
Operative Text
A. The use of electric hot plates, gas plates, stoves using Sterno® or other fuel, electric percolators, grills, and toasters, is prohibited in any room other than a kitchen approved by the Building Commissioner. B. Lodgers may use microwaves in their rooming units with the approval of the licensee. The use of appliances for the preparing or serving of food shall not be permitted in rooms used for sleeping.
Framingham, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 312 § 312-17 restricts the use of most cooking appliances—including hot plates, gas plates, Sterno stoves, grills, and toasters—to kitchens that have been approved by the Building Commissioner. Microwaves are a limited exception: lodgers in rooming units may use them only if the licensee grants approval. Sleeping rooms may not be used for preparing or serving food under any circumstances covered by this provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CH. 312 § 312-17, operators of rooming houses and similar lodging facilities are expected to ensure that cooking appliances are confined to Building Commissioner-approved kitchens and are not present in sleeping rooms. Compliant operators who wish to allow microwave use by lodgers typically obtain and document licensee approval before permitting such appliances in individual rooming units. Routine inspections of the property to confirm that prohibited appliances—such as hot plates, grills, and toasters—have not been introduced into sleeping areas are a common practice among operators seeking to remain in compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
CH. 312 § 312-17 establishes that tenants and lodgers in Framingham rooming facilities have a limited right to use microwaves in their units, but only when the licensee has granted approval; other cooking appliances are generally restricted to approved kitchen spaces. If a landlord or licensee is enforcing appliance restrictions in a way that seems inconsistent with this provision, tenants may consider reaching out to the Framingham Building Department or a local tenant-rights organization to better understand how the rule applies. Lodgers who have received microwave approval may find it useful to keep a written record of that permission in case questions arise later.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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