Eviction process in MA

[Karen F.]

How long would a straight forward eviction for failure to leave at the end of a nine month lease take in MA?  I am trying to decide whether it's worth it to do a winter rental of a summer vacation property.  Summer rent could be as much as $30K over ten weeks.  Winter rent as little as 15K over 9 months, but tenant would also cover the utilities, plus I feel that it's better to have the property occupied in the winter.  I was thinking that I would have the lease be over at the end of April, so that I could have enough time to evict, if for some reason anyone ever failed to vacate the property.  But if eviction were to take more than 6 weeks, that would cut into the summer rental period, and I'd lose a lot.  I read MA LL guide to eviction, but it's not helpful in giving me an idea of how long it would take.

[Rob Beland]

Here is a good link that outlines the eviction process in MA. It's not all gloom and doom like a lot of people want you to think. Know the laws, follow the process, and be prepared in court. More times than not the tenant knows he lost and will not even put up a fight. 

http://www.masslegalhelp.org/eviction-time-line