South Hadley, Mass., Code of Bylaws ch 136 § 136-14
Enforcement (South Hadley Residential Short-Term Rental Units)
Operative Text
A. Enforcement personnel: the Building Commissioner and Code Officials. B. Enforcement options. This bylaw shall be enforced by criminal complaint through a court of competent jurisdiction. In addition, any person committing a violation under this section may be subject to a fine or issued a citation under the noncriminal disposition process of MGL c. 40, § 21D. Furthermore, in appropriate circumstances, a license may be modified, suspended or revoked, or a civil action may be initiated to compel compliance herewith. C. Fines. The fine for any violation shall be $300 for each offense. Each day such violation continues shall be deemed a separate offense. Fines for other applicable local and state laws, regulations and codes, shall be set and assessed in a manner consistent with those laws, regulations, and codes, and the laws of the commonwealth. D. Suspension. The Building Commissioner is authorized to suspend a license after a hearing. The Building Commissioner shall provide written notice of a hearing to take place no sooner than 48 hours after notice is sent. The Building Commissioner may suspend a license after the hearing for the following reasons: (1) An owner or agent has knowingly allowed or assisted in allowing violations of this Bylaw. (2) An owner or agent refuses or neglects to comply with an order of the Code Official. The Code Official must find that the owner or agent has not taken action to achieve compliance of the property and that at least 90 days have expired without compliance since the date of receipt of the enforcement order. During this time the Code Official shall inform the owner or agent in writing that the license is subject to suspension. Suspensions shall be as follows: (a) First offense: 90 days. (b) Second offense in a twelve-month period: 180 days. (c) Third offense in a twelve-month period: three years. E. Immediate suspension. In those instances where a rental unit has been condemned or deemed an unsafe structure pursuant to health, building and fire regulations, the license shall be immediately suspended and shall remain suspended until as such time the property is found to be habitable and in compliance by the appropriate Code Official. F. Owner responsibility. The owner shall be responsible for any violations of this bylaw, including acts or omissions of his/her agent.
South Hadley, Mass., Code of Bylaws CH. 136 § 136-14 establishes a multi-track enforcement system for the town's rental licensing bylaw. Violations can be pursued through criminal complaint, noncriminal citation, or civil action, and each day a violation continues counts as a separate offense carrying a $300 fine. Rental licenses may also be modified, suspended, or revoked—including immediate suspension when a unit is condemned or deemed structurally unsafe—with suspension lengths escalating from 90 days for a first offense up to three years for a third offense within a twelve-month period.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under CH. 136 § 136-14, compliant rental operators in South Hadley generally respond promptly to any enforcement order issued by the Building Commissioner or Code Officials, since the bylaw treats each day of continued non-compliance as a separate $300 offense. Operators are also responsible for the acts and omissions of their agents, so maintaining clear communication with property managers about code requirements is a standard practice. License suspensions—ranging from 90 days to three years—can follow a hearing with at least 48 hours' written notice, and immediate suspension applies automatically when a unit is condemned or found to be an unsafe structure.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
CH. 136 § 136-14 gives tenants in South Hadley a framework to understand how rental-unit violations are addressed: the Building Commissioner and Code Officials are the designated enforcement personnel, and they have authority to issue fines, pursue criminal complaints, and suspend or revoke a landlord's rental license. If a unit is condemned or deemed unsafe, the license must be immediately suspended until the property is found habitable by the appropriate Code Official. Tenants who believe a violation exists may contact the Building Commissioner's office to report conditions, and local tenant-rights organizations can help explain what remedies may be available under this provision.
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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