New prospective landlord has asked illegal questions. What now?

[PayrollHRGuy]

I agree. But in 35 years of renting I was not once asked those questions. Even my LL from hell in Marblehead didn't ask those questions.

I'd bet you never tried to move 4 unrelated adults in when only one of them had an income.

 

[Just Blue]

I'd be you never tried to move 4 unrelated adults in when only one of them had an income.

Nope...never did.

 

[Zigner]

I'd be you never tried to move 4 unrelated adults in when only one of them had an income.

Just Blue was responding to my (admittedly) pedantic comment.

 

[TigerD]

I would ask what the relationship is. Are they cousins coming to college together? Are they friends? Did the four of them just hookup on craigslist to save money renting a place? A relationship that commits them to each other is a positive - not a negative.

 

[quincy]

How big (square footage-wise) are the apartments you are attempting to rent?

 

[quincy]

To go along with my post above, here is a link to Massachusetts state law on occupancy. See Section 105 CMR 410.400 on the minimum square footage per occupant required:
https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2017/09/11/105cmr410.pdf
Trying to house too many unrelated adults in a housing unit will violate state law.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

Many towns have an ordinance (aimed at college students) prohibiting four unrelated adults from occupying one unit. They claim the landlord needs a rooming house license.

 

[quincy]

I believe the difference between rooming house/lodger and apartment/tenant was already decided.

City of Worcester v. College Hill Properties, LLC, et al:
http://masslegalresources.com/city-of-worcester-v-college-hill-properties-llc-et-al-lawyers-weekly-no-10-083-13

 

[reenzz]

The landlord can easily find out their ages when they fill out an application and show their ID's. As a landlord, there is no way in hell that I would rent to 4 unrelated adults with only one income. I would require all parties to the lease to have stable, verifiable income that meets my income requirements. I've been burnt too many times buy tenants with the only income bailing out and leaving me with the roommates that have no income.

 

[Mass_Shyster]

I believe the difference between rooming house/lodger and apartment/tenant was already decided.

City of Worcester v. College Hill Properties, LLC, et al:
http://masslegalresources.com/city-of-worcester-v-college-hill-properties-llc-et-al-lawyers-weekly-no-10-083-13

That addressed the state law. Cities and towns are adopting ordinances limiting the number of unrelated adults. See https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-landlord-and-tenant

Roommates

• Roommate Limitations in Boston: Text Amendment No. 346, Boston Zoning Commission, March 13, 2008
  Changes the definitions in Articles 2 and 2A of the Boston Zoning Code, so that 5 or more unrelated undergraduates may not share an apartment.

It seems Medford proposed prohibiting 4 or more. I don't know if it passed.

 

[quincy]

The landlord can easily find out their ages when they fill out an application and show their ID's. As a landlord, there is no way in hell that I would rent to 4 unrelated adults with only one income. I would require all parties to the lease to have stable, verifiable income that meets my income requirements. I've been burnt too many times buy tenants with the only income bailing out and leaving me with the roommates that have no income.

Almost all of our rentals are to university students. All must sign a lease and have parent-cosigners because most of the students have part time jobs at most.

I never would rent to an adult without an income otherwise. Four unrelated adults with only one employed? Nope.

 

[quincy]

That addressed the state law. Cities and towns are adopting ordinances limiting the number of unrelated adults. See https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-landlord-and-tenant

It seems Medford proposed prohibiting 4 or more. I don't know if it passed.

That type of proposal seems doomed to failure. I cannot believe landlords would limit student rentals in that way. Simply getting parents as cosigners eliminates the financial risk.

 

[FarmerJ]

If its two married couples then at any time only 2 adults of the four do not have a familial relationship with the other two so even if a city had a ordinance limiting non related people to four in a unit at any given time it doesn't change two of the four having no familial relationship. AS to your LL if you have a high enough income then consider increasing the deposit or paying last months rent in advance as well. If none of that works then perhaps its time to look for a property you can BUY so you don't have this problem.