Cal. Civ. Code § 127K
Agreement to waive enforcement of sanitary code; validity
Operative Text
Section 127K. Any provision of a lease or other rental agreement relating to real property whereby a lessee, tenant or occupant enters into a covenant, agreement or contract, by the use of any words whatsoever, the effect of which is to waive the benefits of any provision of section one hundred and twenty-seven C to one hundred and twenty-seven I, inclusive, shall be deemed to be against public policy and void.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 111 § 127K establishes that any clause in a lease or rental agreement that would cause a tenant or occupant to give up the protections found in the state sanitary code provisions (sections 127C through 127I) is treated as void and against public policy. The rule applies regardless of the specific wording used to accomplish that waiver. In effect, those sanitary code protections cannot be contracted away, no matter what language appears in a rental agreement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 111 § 127K, compliant property operators do not include clauses in leases or rental agreements that purport to have tenants waive their rights under the state sanitary code (sections 127C–127I). Even if such a clause is included, it carries no legal weight and does not limit a tenant's ability to invoke those protections. Operators generally review lease templates to ensure no language — however indirectly worded — could be construed as an attempt to disclaim sanitary code obligations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 111 § 127K means that even if a lease you signed contains language suggesting you gave up rights under the state sanitary code (sections 127C–127I), that language is void and unenforceable as a matter of public policy. Tenants retain those sanitary code protections regardless of what a rental agreement says. If a landlord attempts to rely on such a clause to deny those rights, tenants can raise the provision as a defense, file a complaint with the local board of health, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for general information about 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 September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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