New Landlord in Ma

[Alicia Leonard]

Hi, I have just purchased a small Multifamily (3 units in total ) - 2 of the units will be occupied with tenants who are under lease until December 31st. I'm wondering how best to get myself setup to receive payments , and really better understanding the transition process when taking on a property that already has tenant

[William Sing]

Hey Alicia — big congrats on the new multifamily! That’s an awesome step, and it sounds like you’re already diving into the right stuff early on.

For rent collection, I’d recommend checking out Innago or another user-friendly property management platform. They're free to use on the landlord side and let you set up online payments, track leases, handle maintenance requests—the whole deal. It keeps things way more organized than juggling checks or Venmo.

As for the transition, here are a few quick things that helped me early on:

• Introduce Yourself: If you haven't already, a simple intro letter or email goes a long way. Just let the tenants know who you are, how to reach you, and where rent should go moving forward. Keep it warm and professional—this sets the tone for the relationship.

• Lease Review: Grab copies of all leases, security deposit info, and any outstanding repairs from the previous owner. You’ll want to review those closely—especially for anything about rules around mid-lease changes. This should of already been done through the transaction, but if it hasn't you can follow up with your agent/escrow to get these details. 

• Heads Up: Unless the lease specifically prohibits changes during the term (like payment methods or where rent is sent), you usually can make adjustments, as long as you’re not altering lease terms like rent amount or ending dates. Just give folks a heads-up and keep communication clear and respectful.

Also—Massachusetts has pretty specific rules for landlords (especially around deposits and notice periods), so it’s worth reading up on the local landlord tenant laws. Usually there is a landlord association you can potentially get some guidance from as well. 

And since they’re in place through the end of the year, now’s a great time to build some trust. Even a small check-in like, “Anything not working well?” can go a long way before renewal season rolls around.

Anyway—welcome to the landlord club! You got this. And if you ever want to swap notes on systems or tenant communication, happy to share what’s worked (and what definitely hasn’t 😂).

Cheers,
Will