Westford, Mass., Bd. of Health Transient Lodging Regs (2026) § 3
Facilities
Operative Text
3.1 Heating systems shall comply with 105 CMR 410.000 requirements. 3.2 Portable space heaters are prohibited in guest units. 3.3 A lodging house where lodgings are let to more than five but less than twenty persons may furnish individual cooking facilities for the preparation, serving, eating and storage of food; provided that no such facility shall be furnished in a room having an area of less than one hundred fifty square feet. Such facilities shall, in a single room, consist of a gas or electric plate, a refrigerator and hot and cold running water and in a unit consisting of two adjoining rooms shall consist of a gas or electric range, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and storage area for food [see, G.L. c. 140, §22A]. 3.4 Transient Lodgings may include microwave ovens in guest rooms.
Section 3 of the Westford Board of Health Transient Lodging Regulations sets out equipment and facility standards for guest accommodations. Heating systems must meet the state sanitary code under 105 CMR 410.000, and portable space heaters are banned from guest units entirely. Lodging houses serving between six and nineteen lodgers may offer individual cooking facilities—subject to minimum room-size and equipment requirements tied to G.L. c. 140, §22A—and microwave ovens are expressly permitted in guest rooms.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Westford's Transient Lodging Regulations § 3 are expected to ensure that all permanent heating equipment is installed and maintained in conformance with 105 CMR 410.000, and to keep portable space heaters out of every guest unit. Where a lodging house accommodates more than five but fewer than twenty persons, any cooking facilities provided must meet the room-size threshold of 150 square feet and include the appliances specified for single rooms or two-room units under § 3.3. Microwave ovens may be placed in guest rooms under § 3.4, giving operators a straightforward option for limited in-room food preparation without triggering the full cooking-facility requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 3 of the Westford Board of Health Transient Lodging Regulations, guests are entitled to heating that meets state sanitary code standards, and portable space heaters should not be present in any guest unit. If a lodging house provides cooking facilities, those spaces must meet the minimum size and equipment standards described in § 3.3, referencing G.L. c. 140, §22A. Guests who believe these facility standards are not being met may consider contacting the Westford Board of Health to report a potential violation, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance on available options.
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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