Landlord-Tenant

Residential

At Gilman, McLaughlin & Hanrahan LLP, Landlord Tenant Law is more than an occasional sideline done as a favor for a good client. Since we represent clients who own or manage over 5,000 apartment units in Massachusetts, we have one attorney who is an expert in landlord/tenant matters and who works virtually exclusively on summary process and other tenant matters. Each Thursday she and our associates cover up to five courts on "summary process" day. Our experience means you will never need to start over because of a defective notice or bad service.

We also counsel landlords, and some tenants, in the many issues which arise between them including leasing, code issues, lead paint, discrimination, rent subsidy and dealing with problem tenants. Massachusetts has a myriad of housing restrictions and tenant protections which make it easy to violate the law, even without knowing you are doing so. What seems like an easy eviction can quickly become a costly counterclaim. We can help prevent that possibility by thoroughly advising you of your rights and responsibilities.

Commercial

Commercial Landlord Tenant Law is significantly different from the law that governs residential buildings. Many of the special rights given to the residential tenant are not extended to commercial tenants. Because of the tremendous power the laws bestow on the landlord of a commercial property, commercial tenants must be diligent in protecting themselves. Landlords are also at risk of holdover or bankrupt tenants. If you are in a conflict with your landlord or tenant, seek the advice of an experienced landlord-tenant attorney as quickly as possible. An eviction, or a costly holdover, can be devastating to your business and there are steps you can take to strengthen your case before it goes to court.

Lease Negotiations

After a problem arises, it is too late to negotiate for better terms. In general, a commercial lease has to be structured to provide precisely what you expect. We have negotiated space leases and ground leases for lessors and lessees for thousands of square feet of commercial space and all kinds of commercial uses.

Landlord-Tenant Litigation

We regularly achieve optimal financial outcomes for our clients in:

• Bankruptcy
• Common Area Maintenance (CAM) disputes
• Use issues
• Trade Fixture and Improvement disputes
• Evictions

Our thirty year history of practicing real estate law in and around Boston, Massachusetts and Cape Cod gives our clients the edge they need in a wide variety of commercial and residential landlord-tenant disputes, lease drafting and negotiation and other areas. Contact us to find out how we can put our experience to work for you.