Somerville, Mass., Ord. ch. 7 art. XII § 7-291
Written notice to tenants required
Operative Text
(a) When an owner of residential property occupied by at least one tenant lists the property for sale, they shall, on or before the date on which the property is listed for sale, notify each tenant that the building is available for purchase. (1) Notice shall be delivered to each tenant, either in person, and the owner shall collect a signed acknowledgement of receipt, or by certified mail with return receipt requested. (2) The notice shall be in a form approved by the Office of Housing Stability and obtainable on its website. The form shall contain, at minimum, the following information: (A) an owner's statement of intent to sell the property; (B) the name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number of the owner; (C) a description of the property for sale, including the number of units and the number of bedrooms within each unit; (D) the asking price for the property; and, (E) contact information for the Office of Housing Stability. (b) The owner shall post notice in a conspicuous place in a location visible to tenants within forty-eight hours after the unit is posted for sale.
Under Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. XII § 7-291, when a residential property with at least one tenant is listed for sale, the owner must notify every tenant on or before the listing date. This notice must be delivered either in person with a signed acknowledgment or by certified mail with return receipt, and must use a form approved by the Office of Housing Stability that includes the asking price, property description, and owner contact details. Within 48 hours of the listing, the owner must also post a visible notice in a common area of the building.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Compliant operators under Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. XII § 7-291 obtain the required notice form from the Office of Housing Stability's website before listing a residential property for sale. They deliver the completed form to each tenant no later than the listing date — either in person while collecting a signed acknowledgment, or via certified mail with return receipt — and retain documentation of delivery. Within 48 hours of the listing going live, they also post a conspicuous notice in a location visible to all tenants in the building.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. XII § 7-291 gives tenants the right to receive formal written notice whenever their building is put up for sale, including the asking price and owner contact information, delivered no later than the listing date. Tenants should also expect to see a posted notice in a common area of the building within 48 hours of the listing. If a tenant believes this notice was not provided as required, they may contact the Office of Housing Stability — whose contact information is required to appear on the notice form itself — or consult a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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