Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. XI § 7-284
Non-waivability
Operative Text
The provisions of this article may not be waived, and any term of any lease, contract or other agreement which purports to waive or limit a tenant’s or former homeowner’s substantive or procedural rights under this article is contrary to public policy, unenforceable, and void.
Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. XI § 7-284 establishes that the protections created by this article cannot be signed away or contracted around. Any lease clause, contract term, or other agreement that attempts to strip away or narrow a tenant's or former homeowner's rights under the article is treated as contrary to public policy and has no legal force. The rule applies regardless of whether both parties agreed to the waiver language at the time of signing.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. XI § 7-284 generally review their lease templates to ensure no clause purports to have tenants or former homeowners give up rights granted by this article. Because such clauses are void on their face, including them provides no practical benefit and may signal non-compliance to a rent board or court. Compliant operators typically rely on lease language that tracks, rather than limits, the protections the article affords.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Somerville Code of Ordinances ch. 7, art. XI § 7-284, a tenant or former homeowner retains the rights this article provides even if a lease or other agreement contains language that appears to waive or restrict those rights. If a landlord attempts to enforce such a clause, the provision's non-waivability rule can be raised as a defense in a legal proceeding or as the basis for a complaint with the relevant local authority. Tenant-rights organizations in Somerville can help explain what specific protections this article covers and what general enforcement paths are available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.