The Massachusetts ten/fourteen (10/14) day notice to pay or quit informs month-to-month tenants that they are in violation of their rental agreement due to non-payment of rent. The notice may be drafted by the landlord and served to the tenant immediately following the date rent is due unless the rental agreement indicates a grace period. After the tenant gets the notice, they must either pay the total amount due within ten (10) days or vacate the premises within fourteen (14) days. If the tenant fails to comply with these terms, the landlord may seek legal aid by filing a Summary Process action (a.k.a. eviction lawsuit) with the court.
Note: Different rules apply when the tenancy is fixed-term (when the lease mentions a specific end date). For fixed-term tenancies, the landlord should use the standard 14-Day Notice to Pay or Quit.
Laws – Ch. 186 § 12