I live in Onset, Massachusetts. My boss owned an apartment building with 10 units close to my office. We had verbally arranged for me to work 10 hours more per week (equaling $450/mo) in exchange for living in her building. Unfortunately, she defaulted on her taxes and lost the property. During the bank's sale they issued everyone a 30 day notice (not through a court) to vacate the property. They sold it before the time was up. The new owner of the building just demanded that I pay her $950 per month starting next week. What are my rights? What can she do legally to make me pay that amount? What can she do legally to make me leave? Please help!

Hello R:

This isn't difficult. By virtue of you living there when she closed on the building, you are HER tenant. In the absence of a written lease, you have a month to month tenancy. With such an arrangement, either of you can change the terms of your agreement with 30 days written notice. If you wish to stay, then you could - or not.

The new owner can demand $950 rent WITH a 30 day written notice. She apparently doesn't know the rules any better than you do. I wouldn't want to live in a building where the landlord didn't know the rules...

But, if you wish to stay, send her a letter outlining the law as I've explained it. If you wish to leave, she must give you a 30 day written notice to vacate. Again, she obviously doesn't know that. That's cool. YOU don't have to be her teacher. She'll learn through the courts - maybe even the bankruptcy court - who knows.

In any case, she can't DO anything about you being there until she legally evicts you. Given than she doesn't know anything about landlording, it'll probably take her 6 months to get that accomplished. Until then, NOBODY will put you out - not the cops and not the sheriff. If she tries, then YOU call the cops.

excon

Yes, the new owner can either evict you or set the new rate for living there. Since there was no written lease, you are on a month to month rental and the terms of that rental can be changed with a 30 day notice.
So can she give you notice of the new rate, yes, can she evict you yes.but she will have to file it though the courts