Massachusetts

Security deposit

Your landlord had 30 days to return your deposit or list the deductions in writing. If they were late or kept it wrongly, a court must award three times the amount due, plus 5% interest, costs, and fees.

Return deadline30 days

If the landlord is late or keeps it wronglyThree times the deposit or balance due, plus 5% interest from the due date, court costs, and reasonable attorney fees

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 186, § 15B · Verified 2026-10-21 · Read the statute

Verified from malegislature text, § 15B(6)-(7): forfeiture for listed failures; treble damages for failures under clauses (a), (d), and (e). No bad-faith showing is required.

Gift card cash back

Once you have used at least 90% of a gift card that cannot be reloaded, you can choose cash for what is left. On a reloadable card, you can choose cash once $5 or less is left.

Cash back90% redeemed (non-reloadable) or $5 or less remaining (reloadable)

The ruleHolder of a non-reloadable gift certificate redeemed for at least 90% of its face value may elect to receive the balance in cash; holder of a reloadable certificate with $5 or less remaining may elect cash.

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 200A, § 5D · Verified 2026-10-21 · Read the statute

Verified from malegislature text. Threshold field records the reloadable-card $5 figure; the non-reloadable trigger is a percentage, not a dollar amount — see the rule text.

Final paycheck

If you were fired, every dollar you are owed is due that same day. Pay it late and the law triples it.

If firedIn full on the day of discharge

If you quitNext regular payday

Late-pay penaltyMandatory treble (3x) damages on late-paid wages, plus litigation costs and reasonable attorney fees (§ 150); the state high court confirmed in 2022 that treble applies to the wages themselves, not only to interest

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 149, §§ 148, 150 · Verified 2026-10-21 · Read the statute

Verified from § 148 text summaries and the Reuter v. City of Methuen holding on § 150 treble damages.