I live in a house where the owner/occupant rents to 5 different women including myself. He says because it is a "roommate situation", even though we all pay rent at different times and amounts, share a kitchen and a bathrom, that he doesn't have to give any notice to evict anyone, he can through anyone out at any time. At this time it's me, because I have been avoiding his sexual advances, and I also suffer from major depressive disorder and I am disabled, and he has been sending me texts to either move out or kill myself. I live in MA.
Does he have the right to just through me out, I have been paying my rent and haven't had any complaints from the other tenants.

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Originally Posted by foreverjake

I live in a house where the owner/occupant rents to 5 different women including myself. He says because it is a "roommate situation", even though we all pay rent at different times and amounts, share a kitchen and a bathrom, that he doesn't have to give any notice to evict anyone, he can through anyone out at any time. At this time it's me, because I have been avoiding his sexual advances, and I also suffer from major depressive disorder and I am disabled, and he has been sending me texts to either move out or kill myself. I live in MA.
Does he have the right to just through me out, I have been paying my rent and haven't had any complaints from the other tenants.

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A landlord of a rooming/boarding house cannot just lock someone out. He can terminate your tenancy at any time but he must follow the laws for eviction. If you have lived there for more than 3 months then he has to give you 30 days written notice before he can file a lawsuit for eviction. If you have lived there for more than 30 days but less than 3 months he must give you 7 days written notice. If you have lived there for less than 30 days then he doesn't have to give you any notice before filing a lawsuit for eviction.

Here is a site that explains the law in MA for rooming/boarding houses: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.dmg&cad=rjt

If he's calling you roommates, then he is not a rooming house. I'll bet he doesn't have a license for a rooming house, and you can find out from the town hall.
As a roommate you are a tenant with different rules for eviction, and he must give written notice followed by court eviction if you don't vacate within 30 days. Some places in MA have stricter landlord/tenant ordinances, so check with your town on that too.

Try to overcome your depression enough to stand up to him about sexual advances! Warn him that he is treading on thin legal ice and that you are documenting all he says and does. Try to get some of the other roomies to witness what happens.

Please read the handbook that Lisa linked you to. Most likely this person is not licensed to run a rooming house, but, from your description, it certainly qualifies as one. If he tries to throw you out or lock you out, he will be opening himself up for a hefty lawsuit.