Sorry about all the drama with my problem tenant, if I could get them to leave I would do it in a heartbeat,.(offering 3 months rent didn't work) they are not paying rent now so its a good deal for them,

Pretty sure they will just skip out of state when the time comes,.

But here's the latest,.we lock our cellar,..THIS guy has had a brain injury and has anger issues, He and another guy likes to mess with things like the boiler,..and a few times when one got in,.things /tools were missing

One of them wrote down the combo from a service person that had to servive something and did not take the padlock with them or spin the combo as we also ask them,

So heres the problem,..the breakers are in the basement for the 4 apts there. every once in a while they blow a fuse ,..rare but it happens,..THIS guy has told the other tenants that its illegal to keep them out of the basement and trying to get all to complain to his friends (that he has nurtured) to the BOH.

I consider a dangerous situation to allow these guys into the basement.

Real locks .

Post a placard ......OWNER / MANAGEMENT ACCESS ONLY

EMERGENCY CALL. XXXXXXXXXXXXX

remote access locks with time / date / ID logs are available which work with your cell phone and Internet

Tenants should not access to boiler system or electrical panel as this can create a hazard. Suppose the high limit is cranked up on the boiler where kaboom or a circuit breaker is held with a over load where a fire is started. The boiler and electrical panels tenants should never have access. Only qualified personal should have access to boiler or electrical panel. In a school or any other commercial building those areas are off limits. One time tenants broke padlock then cranked up high limit on boiler where the over pressure valve was open then water on the floor. If the high pressure valve did not open then the boiler would have burst open where installed a deadbolt lock then tenants did not have access. Install a fire rated door and frame to keep tenants out of that area with a deadbolt.

I do not know if this will work in your area, but here's my take on things.

Here in Los Angeles if a tenant is doing something dangerous that deals with "Health and Safety" concerns, they can be evicted even with the C-19 pandemic.

A hot water heater should be set no higher than 120 degrees. If someone is exposed to hot water at 130 degrees for more than 30 seconds, they will get burned. If someone get in contact with hot water at 140 degrees for a period of more than 6 seconds, they will get burned.

So if a tenant want's access to a restricted area, like a basement with several hot water heaters, and they have been know to adjust up the temperature to an unsafe level -- I would do the following:

a) give the tenant a "notice to cure violation" do not adjust up the temperature on the water heater.

b) do not enter the locked basement without written consent of the owner.

None of the MA state laws or regulations that I'm aware require a MA LL to give their tenant access to a basement. If a tenant's electric panel is not located in their unit, the national electric code requires tenants to have access to their electric panel. However other parts of the electric code state that only qualified people should have access to electrical panels. Like a lot of code requirements, if you look hard enough you can find something that contradicts other parts of the same code.

Even though there aren't any state regulations governing tenant access to electric panels & heating equipment located in the basement some local cities & towns have them. Unless you are ordered by either your local building department or BOH to allow tenants access, I would lock the door & restrict access only to qualified people. If for some reason your local government makes you give the tenants keys to the basement, I suggest that you do the following;

1. write a letter to the building department / BOH outlining your concerns about people messing with the equipment

2. install 1 or 2 or more battery powered trail cameras so they take pictures of anyone approaching the boiler, electric panels, plumbing drain lines and water supply

3. once you have a couple of pictures of this tenant messing with the equipment use that as evidence to get a restraining order against them

4. use the pictures to get them evicted for endangering the safety & welfare of the building's other tenants

410.481: Posting of Name of Owner

An owner of a dwelling which is rented for residential use, who does not reside therein and who does not employ a manager or agent for such dwelling who resides therein, shall post and maintain or cause to be posted and maintained on such dwelling adjacent to the mailboxes for

such dwelling or elsewhere in the interior of such dwelling in a location visible to the residents a notice constructed or durable material, not less than 20 square inches in size, bearing his name, address and telephone number. If the owner is a realty trust or partnership, the name, address and telephone number of the managing trustee or partner shall be posted. If the owner is a corporation, the name, address and telephone number of the president of the corporation shall be posted. Where the owner employs a manager or agent who does not reside in such dwelling, such manager or agent's name, address and telephone number shall also be included in the notice.

(See M.G.L. c. 143, § 3S.)

Carol, I presume that you don't live at this property nor do you have an on site manager. If this is true I suggest that you immediately post a 4"x5" sign(s) on the interior above the main common entrance doors with the required contact info. Then I would post a similar sign on the locked basement door. Make sure that the basement sign contains verbiage stating that 24/7 access can be obtained by calling __________.

There are off the shelf metal signs that have spaces for you to write in name and contact info and say for access please contact.... Or something similar. I write my info w a Sharpie. Nailed to the door or nearby wall.