Peabody, Mass., Code of Ordinances ch. 14, art. I (2026) § 14-4
Inspection and certification of rental units; fee
Operative Text
(a) Whenever a rented dwelling unit, apartment, or tenement, other than a hotel, motel, or roominghouse, is vacated by the occupant thereof, or within ten days before the date of the anticipated vacancy, it must be certified by the Board of Health, prior to the reoccupation of the rented dwelling unit, apartment, or tenement, that it meets the standards set forth in the Sanitary Code, Article II, Minimum Standards of Fitness for Human Habitation, as promulgated and amended by the Department of Public Health of the State under the authority of M.G.L.A. c. 111, § 127A; provided, however, that all inspections by the Board of Health must be conducted within 72 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after receipt of written notification of a vacancy. The failure to inspect shall allow the rented dwelling unit, apartment, or tenement, to be reoccupied without the certification required by this section. (b) No rented dwelling unit, apartment, or tenement shall be required to be certified for occupancy more than once in any consecutive 18-month period. (c) A fee payable to the Board of Health shall be charged in accordance with the Health Department fee schedule for each certification.
Under Peabody Code of Ordinances ch. 14, art. I § 14-4, whenever a rental dwelling unit (excluding hotels, motels, and rooming houses) becomes vacant, the unit must be inspected and certified by the Board of Health as meeting Massachusetts Sanitary Code minimum habitability standards before a new occupant moves in. The Board of Health must complete that inspection within 72 hours (excluding weekends and holidays) of receiving written notice of the vacancy; if it fails to do so, the unit may be reoccupied without the certification. No unit can be required to go through this certification process more than once within any consecutive 18-month period, and a fee set by the Health Department fee schedule applies to each certification.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating rental units in Peabody should be aware that § 14-4 requires written notification to the Board of Health at or up to ten days before a unit becomes vacant, triggering the certification process. Compliant operators typically document the date written notice was submitted, coordinate access for the Board of Health inspection within the 72-hour window, and budget for the applicable Health Department certification fee. Because the 18-month rule in § 14-4(b) limits how often certification can be required, operators generally keep records of prior certification dates to avoid unnecessary fees or scheduling conflicts.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 14-4, tenants moving into a covered Peabody rental unit have a right to occupy a unit that has been certified by the Board of Health as meeting Massachusetts Sanitary Code habitability standards before they move in. If a new tenant believes a unit was reoccupied without the required certification, that fact may be relevant to habitability-related complaints or proceedings, and tenants can contact the Peabody Board of Health directly to inquire about a unit's certification status. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Massachusetts housing law can help explain how § 14-4 interacts with other state and local protections available to renters.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 11, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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