What is the law in massachusetts about landlords responsibility?

Question

I think my friends landlord is a SLUMLORD. THey've made many complaints about things like...leaks form lighting fixtures(even on the bottome floor of a 2 story)... and stuff like that well finally tonight a corner of their ceiling on the bottom floor collapsed he told them to leave it go to bed and he'd send someone over to repair it in the morning.there is an aweful smell and big(the kind that look like centipedes but love damp places) crawling all out. NOW there are cracks in the ceiling on the second floor that i know of and atleast one of the floors sinks in the center(second floor)you put a marble on the floor it goes to the center of the room... bottom floor ceilings sag... they're outside steps are a hazard as well ... isnt any of this illegal?

Answer 1

Any state has simular laws. What they need to do, is send the landlord a "certified" letter outlining what you just said. have them take pictures of the damage as it is right now.

The landlord has so many hours to fix a complaint. Also, look to see if they have to pay rent until it is fixed. Some of these sites, may answer the questions you will need. They may even be able to get the landlord to put them up in a hotel until it is fixed. If there is any black mold, it is considered biohazard. Read the laws carefully. You may have some good recourse.  

Answer 2

Submit all complaints to him in writing and save copies.

Next time part of the house falls, if it's near where you have a phone plugged in (or if you have a cellphone) hit yourself in the head with it as hard as you can (Really hard! dont puss out or you'll get caught for lying) and call an ambulance saying you dont know what happened but you were just about to call someone and the next thing you know you woke up on the floor and your head and neck are in alot of pain.

The ambulance will come, they'll get you and bring you for xrays and ****, but they'll make note that part of the building fell on you and that the whole building is falling apart. Then you sue your landowner not only for any medical costs, but you sue for emotional trauma, your past rent, any of your stuff that got damaged,  PLUS you have him charged CRIMINALLY with negligence causing bodily harm for not fixing the house when you warned him about the danger, and you have proof that you warned him because you saved your copy.