Cal. Civ. Code § 127D
Entry fee; notice upon offending owner
Operative Text
Section 127D. The entry fee for a petition under section one hundred and twenty-seven C shall be two dollars. Upon the filing of such a petition, an order of notice shall issue requiring the owner of record to appear at a time not later than fourteen days after the issuance of said order of notice, to file an answer to the matters alleged in the petition including therein the names and addresses of any mortgagees or lienors of record known to the owner of record, and to submit to a hearing thereon. Such order of notice shall be served at least seven days before the return day thereof, by any officer qualified to serve civil process by delivering to the respondent an attested copy thereof, or, by leaving such copy at his last and usual place of abode, or, at the address to which the rent is sent or delivered, or, if the respondent is a corporation, service may also be made in the manner provided by law or by leaving an attested copy thereof at the last and usual place of abode of the president, treasurer or clerk of the corporation, or in such other manner as the court may direct.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 111 § 127D establishes the procedural mechanics that follow when a petition is filed under the companion provision addressing substandard housing conditions. The filing fee for such a petition is set at two dollars, and once filed, the court must issue an order of notice compelling the property owner of record to appear within fourteen days, file a written answer that includes the names and addresses of any known mortgagees or lienors, and participate in a hearing. That order of notice must be delivered to the respondent at least seven days before the scheduled return date, through a qualified civil process server, and may be left at the owner's last known residence, the address where rent is sent, or — for corporate owners — at the residence of a corporate officer or in another manner the court directs.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 111 § 127D, a property owner who is served with an order of notice following a petition filed under § 127C is required to appear within the fourteen-day window, submit a written answer to the allegations, and disclose the names and addresses of any mortgagees or lienors of record known to them. Compliant operators generally maintain current records of all parties holding a financial interest in their properties so that this disclosure can be made accurately and promptly. Owners who receive service of such an order — whether personally, at their place of abode, at the rent-payment address, or through a corporate officer — should treat the deadline as firm, since the statute sets a specific appearance window.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 111 § 127D provides tenants and other petitioners with a low-cost entry point — a two-dollar filing fee — to initiate a court proceeding addressing substandard conditions under § 127C, and the statute ensures the property owner is formally brought before the court on a defined timeline. Once a petition is filed, the court's order of notice mechanism is designed to compel the owner's appearance and a substantive response within fourteen days of the order's issuance. Tenants who believe substandard conditions exist may wish to consult a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand how this procedural pathway fits within the broader enforcement options available under Massachusetts housing law.
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.
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