Squatters' Rights in Massachusetts
Massachusetts rules on squatters & abandoned property for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-23.
Short answer: No special squatter or affidavit statute. The owner recovers possession through a summary process (eviction) case in court. G.L. c. G.L. c. 239, §§ 1, 4
The rules in Massachusetts
| Squatters / unauthorized occupants | No special squatter or affidavit statute. The owner recovers possession through a summary process (eviction) case in court. G.L. c. 239, § 1 allows it against anyone who made a forcible entry, or who entered peaceably but holds possession unlawfully by force, among other grounds. Removal is carried out by an officer serving the execution. Removed property must be stored under c. 239, § 4. Criminal trespass (c. 266, § 120) and the ban on self-help (c. 184, § 18; c. 186, § 14) were not re-verified for this record. No 2024-2026 squatter statute was found in c. 239. Source: G.L. c. 239, §§ 1, 4 |
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| Belongings left behind | After an eviction, an officer who removes the occupant's belongings must store them right away with a licensed, bonded public warehouse within 20 miles, or with a facility the occupant chose in writing. The officer files a receipt describing the goods with the court and gives the occupant a copy. The landlord pays the moving cost, which it can recover from the tenant. Within 7 days the warehouse must issue a receipt explaining reclaim procedures and rates. Storage fees are capped at filed rates, with no add-on fees. The tenant may make one free visit to inspect or take personal or sentimental items. The warehouse may sell only after 6 months; the tenant can delay the sale 3 months by paying half the fees. For a domestic-violence early termination (c. 186, § 24), items left behind are treated as abandoned unless the tenant gives written instructions. No statute was found for property left after a voluntary move-out without a court execution. |
Related questions
Massachusetts vs. neighboring states
| State | Squatters / unauthorized occupants | Belongings left behind |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | No special squatter or affidavit statute. The owner recovers possession through a summary process (eviction) case in court. G.L. c. 239, § 1 allows it against anyone who made a forcible entry, or who entered peaceably but holds possession unlawfully by force, among other grounds. Removal is carried out by an officer serving the execution. Removed property must be stored under c. 239, § 4. G.L. c. 239, §§ 1, 4 | After an eviction, an officer who removes the occupant's belongings must store them right away with a licensed, bonded public warehouse within 20 miles, or with a facility the occupant chose in writing. The officer files a receipt describing the goods with the court and gives the occupant a copy. The landlord pays the moving cost, which it can recover from the tenant. Within 7 days the warehouse must issue a receipt explaining reclaim procedures and rates. Storage fees are capped at filed rates, with no add-on fees. The tenant may make one free visit to inspect or take personal or sentimental items. The warehouse may sell only after 6 months; the tenant can delay the sale 3 months by paying half the fees. For a domestic-violence early termination (c. 186, § 24), items left behind are treated as abandoned unless the tenant gives written instructions. G.L. c. 239, § 4; c. 186, § 24(d) |
| Connecticut | No separate squatter-removal statute. An owner removes someone who never had a right or privilege to occupy the premises through the regular eviction (summary process) route: a written notice to quit served by a proper officer at least 3 days before the quit date, then a summary process action. The occupant can be named as 'John Doe' or 'Jane Doe' if their name is unknown. After judgment, a state marshal carries out the eviction. Anyone who stays after the marshal's eviction time and refuses to leave when directed may be arrested for first-degree criminal trespass (§ 53a-107). Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-23(a)(2), (b), (c); 47a-42(a)-(b) | Abandoned unit (occupants left without notice and do not intend to return): the landlord may send notice to each occupant's last-known address by both regular mail and certified mail, return receipt requested. The notice must say the landlord (1) believes the unit is abandoned, (2) will re-enter unless the occupant makes contact within 10 days of receiving it, (3) will otherwise remove the belongings and re-rent, and (4) will dispose of anything not reclaimed within 30 days after the notice. It must be in clear, simple language and give the landlord's phone number and mailing address. The landlord must inventory the belongings, remove them, and keep them at least 30 days, then may dispose of them. After an eviction judgment: the state marshal delivers removed belongings to storage designated by the town. If they are not reclaimed and the storage costs are not paid within 15 days, the town sells them at public auction after one week's posted notice. The net proceeds go to the tenant if claimed within 30 days. A deceased sole occupant's belongings follow a separate 60-day probate-court affidavit and inventory process. Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 47a-11b; 47a-42(c); 47a-11d |
| New Hampshire | Fast court petition. No one who is not a tenant, subtenant or implied tenant may occupy residential property without the permission of the owner, landlord or their agent. The owner (including a 'non-rental owner' who does not rent the property out) or landlord files a petition in the district court; there is no filing fee, no lawyer is needed, and a peace officer or sheriff serves it. A hearing must be held within 48 hours of same-day service (or of service). If the occupant claims to be a subtenant or implied tenant, the occupant must prove it (e.g., a signed unexpired lease, recent rent receipts, cancelled checks, electronic payments, or messages showing an agreement); utility bills or IDs showing the address are not enough on their own. If the owner wins, the court orders immediate removal by law enforcement and awards actual damages or $1,000, whichever is greater; the owner may dispose of remaining belongings (after 48 hours' notice if the occupant was an unauthorized subtenant) and occupants may be arrested for trespass. If the property is the non-rental owner's own residence and the occupant gets a continuance, the court must order the occupant out pending the hearing. RSA 540-A:3, IX; RSA 540-A:4, II-a, III, VI, VII(e) (VII(c) before Oct. 8, 2026) | The landlord must store a departed tenant's personal property with reasonable care for 7 days after the tenant vacates (voluntarily or by eviction). During those 7 days the tenant may recover it without paying rent or storage fees. After 7 days, the landlord may dispose of it without notice to the tenant. RSA 540-A:3, VII |
| New York | A squatter is not a tenant. The law defines a squatter as someone who enters or intrudes on real property without permission of the person entitled to possession and keeps occupying it without title, right, or permission. The owner removes a squatter through a summary proceeding in court ('no landlord-tenant relationship'), served with a 10-day notice to quit. If the occupant entered or stays by force or unlawful means, no notice to quit is needed when the statutory conditions are met. The unlawful-eviction protections of RPAPL § 768 cover occupants who have lawfully occupied a unit for 30+ consecutive days or who have a lease. RPAPL § 711 (opening paragraph); RPAPL § 713(3), (10); RPAPL § 768(1)(a) | Not verified yet |
| Rhode Island | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Vermont | No police-removal or affidavit procedure. The owner must use the court ejectment process. A landlord, landlord's agent, or tenant may file (with or after the complaint) a motion for immediate possession against an occupant who has no right or permission to be in the unit where the written lease bars subleasing, supported by an affidavit of specific facts and a copy of the lease. The court holds a hearing after 10 days' notice; if the occupant has no right or permission, it must enter judgment for immediate possession, and the sheriff may restore possession no sooner than 5 days after serving the writ. 12 V.S.A. § 4853b | A unit is abandoned if a reasonable person would believe it is no longer occupied full-time, rent is not current, and the landlord has made reasonable efforts to learn the tenant's intentions. For unclaimed property (other than trash) after abandonment, the landlord must store it in a safe, dry, secured place and mail written notice to the tenant's last known address that it will be disposed of after 60 days unless claimed. The tenant claims it by giving a reasonable written description and paying reasonable storage and related costs within 60 days; otherwise it becomes the landlord's property. Property left after the tenant gave actual notice of vacating, or moved out at the end of the rental agreement, may be disposed of without notice or liability. 9 V.S.A. § 4462 |
City rules that may add to state law
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Squatters' Rights in Massachusetts FAQ
How do you remove a squatter in Massachusetts?
No special squatter or affidavit statute. The owner recovers possession through a summary process (eviction) case in court. G.L. c. 239, § 1 allows it against anyone who made a forcible entry, or who entered peaceably but holds possession unlawfully by force, among other grounds. Removal is carried out by an officer serving the execution. Removed property must be stored under c. 239, § 4. (G.L. c. 239, §§ 1, 4)
What can a landlord do with a tenant's abandoned property in Massachusetts?
After an eviction, an officer who removes the occupant's belongings must store them right away with a licensed, bonded public warehouse within 20 miles, or with a facility the occupant chose in writing. The officer files a receipt describing the goods with the court and gives the occupant a copy. The landlord pays the moving cost, which it can recover from the tenant. Within 7 days the warehouse must issue a receipt explaining reclaim procedures and rates. Storage fees are capped at filed rates, with no add-on fees. The tenant may make one free visit to inspect or take personal or sentimental items. The warehouse may sell only after 6 months; the tenant can delay the sale 3 months by paying half the fees. For a domestic-violence early termination (c. 186, § 24), items left behind are treated as abandoned unless the tenant gives written instructions. (G.L. c. 239, § 4; c. 186, § 24(d))
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.