I have a 4 plex that have 2 tenants from hell (I have other buildings and 100s of tenants over 36 years, These care by far the worst .)

So one has been there for over 3 years and have paid only 3 months.Been trying to evict here but that's not easy in Ma if one knows the ropes. The other tenant is also really bad and would like to be rid of her.

Anyway I pay for the heat in these large units. (oil hot water heat) I'm thinking, can I convert the units to electric heat and shut off the radiators? AND put the electrical use on their dime? Without compensating them?

I think it would cause them to leave. I then could re turn on the radiators and say that the electric is a back up if any malfunction of the boiler to a new tenant.

You probably need advice from other Mass LLs and a Mass attorney. Your state is a quagmire of Tenant friendly laws.

I wouldn't put up with no rent. They'd be out 1 way or another.

I didn't realize there were other states as bad as CA. I always thought it was just here and NY City.

JS: CA, CT, NJ, MA, DE, NY, VT, OR, WA, ME

As mentioned you need to talk to someone in the know for your state.

My opinion is that if their heat was included in the lease then you can not change that without problems.

I pay water at some of my duplexes. I am planning to have new lines ran so I can turn the water over to the tenants. I know I will need to make adjustments to the rents when I do this.

What does your lease say about changing the terms of the lease?

Your attorney sucks. Get a new one. No pay for no results. Go to court on a day when the court is hearing eviction cases and watch which attorney is getting results (i.e. judgments for possession). Hire that person.

What you're talking about doing (cutting off utilities) is legally known as "Constructive Eviction" (i.e. making a unit impossible to live in) and is illegal in most (maybe all?) states. Your tenant could likely sue you for that and end up owning your building as a result.

I'm with Rick as well on the "SELL" recommendation. Landlording is not for the faint of heart, the disorganized, or the "let it be" person. I'm not sure why this situation has been allowed to fester for so long. It cannot simply be blamed on the state. To date, you've collected only 8.3% of the rent you are due, and the legal costs plus costs to fix all the damages this tenant has done are going to put you tens of thousands of $$$ in the negative. That's unacceptable. Time to do something different.

I'm not trying to pick on you, but what I am saying is if you're not willing and able to run this like a business, or if your personality type or your state makes it impossible, then the best decision is to sell and put that money into something simple that will get results, like a Vanguard S&P 500 Index Mutual Fund. The S&P 500 has averaged a 10.7% return annually since inception. Easy money and no hassles.

Good luck!

Actually this is the 3 lawyer involved. The first two were recommended by the LL's Association and he third was an advisory to see if things were being done correctly. The judge assigned was a tenant advocate lawyer before he became a judge and rules in her favor. The lawyer I'm using now is considered a "gun" in eviction cases and evictions is all he does.I'm not an amateur in being a LL, I've been doing this for over 35 years With 6 multi unit buildings. This lady is pro and according to another tenant has a book about how to screw your LL.

She sabotages things and calls the BOH, not us to get it recorded as habitability violations issues. The judge allows her to stay because of this. Despite our contrator who asks is there any thing that needs to be fixed/done. The judge ignores that. Its my only building in Ma and yes I want to see it, ut don't feel I can with her being there.