Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 25
Refusal of rental agreement or assistance based on termination of rental agreement under Sec. 24 or request for change of lock under Sec. 26 prohibited
Operative Text
Section 25. An owner shall not refuse to enter into a rental agreement, nor shall a housing subsidy provider deny assistance, based on an applicant having terminated a rental agreement under section 24 or based upon an applicant having requested a change of locks under section 26.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 25 establishes that a prior termination of a rental agreement under Section 24—a provision designed to protect domestic violence survivors—and a prior request for a lock change under Section 26 cannot be used as grounds to deny someone a new rental agreement or housing subsidy assistance. The rule applies to both private property owners and housing subsidy providers. In effect, it prevents these protective actions from becoming a mark against an applicant in the housing market.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 25, compliant property owners screen applicants without treating a Section 24 lease termination or a Section 26 lock-change request as a disqualifying factor. Operators generally review their application criteria and any third-party screening tools to ensure those specific events are not weighted negatively in rental decisions. Awareness of this provision is relevant for anyone involved in setting or applying tenant-selection policies.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 25 gives applicants a right not to be turned away from housing or denied subsidy assistance solely because they previously ended a lease under Section 24 or asked for a lock change under Section 26. If an applicant believes a denial was based on one of those protected actions, general enforcement paths include raising the violation with the relevant housing subsidy provider, filing a complaint with a state or local fair housing agency, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization for guidance on 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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