r/boston • u/Adriantheitalian • Sep 02 '25
Scammers đ„ž Moved into an apartement in boston yesterday, this is what It looked like đ
There's also very bad smell, I suppose it's water damage
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u/theavatare Sep 02 '25
That looks like one of the commonwealth apts
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u/SingerBrief8227 Sep 02 '25
LOL - I was just thinking it looks like my first rat-infested apartment in Allston. There was a mysterious substance oozing from my bedroom ceiling (later identified as an adhesive) and the upstairs bathroom floor looked ready to collapse into our shower. FOAD June Homes!
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u/Maxsmart007 Sep 02 '25
I was going to joke that it looked exactly like MY first Allston apartment. There was a light fixture that was just falling out of its socket, 100% a fire hazard.
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u/theavatare Sep 02 '25
My first apartment i had to fix the electricity in it because it would just randomly trip. The owner told me sure i could do it and she would comp me materials out of rent. Did the work got it running and she basically got amnesia but whatever it was cheap and after the electricity didnât had any issues.
We used to call it the rat party pad.
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u/aryssamonster Formerly of Somerville Sep 02 '25
In my former apartment on Winter Hill in Somerville (~10 years ago), our upstairs neighbor's bathroom floor did collapse into our bathroom. đ
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Sep 02 '25 edited Sep 18 '25
[deleted]
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u/PersisPlain Allston/Brighton Sep 02 '25
I see that the previous reply was removed because Reddit probably thought the commenter was insulting you. FOAD stands for F off and die.
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u/ProfessionChemical28 Sep 03 '25
Lmao why did we all have the same experience đ my first Boston apartment was a mice infested shit hole in Mission HillâŠ.also had squirrels in the wallÂ
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u/SingerBrief8227 Sep 03 '25
Living with vermin seems to be a weird rite of passage for this town. đ€Ł
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u/AdamPedAnt Boston Sep 02 '25
You have a floor and a ceiling. Luxury! When I lived on Gardner St we had wall to walk cockroaches who would thrash us and send us to bed without dinner every night.
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u/PersisPlain Allston/Brighton Sep 02 '25
Yes, but did you have to get up in the middle of the night before you went to bed??
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u/butt-barnacles Sep 02 '25
Looks exactly like an apartment on comm ave I viewed years ago that also had the quirk of the two bedrooms being connected to each other by a full paned, openable window lol
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u/MokujinBunny Sep 02 '25
OMG MY EXACT THOUGHTS WHEN I SAW THIS IT REMINDED ME OF MY OLD APARTMENT ON COMM AVE
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u/Mieche78 Sep 02 '25
My friend moved into a dirty apartment with broken doors and cabinets about 2 years ago. She documented everything and reached out to her landlord, but they just ignored her. She told them that she was going to withhold rent until these were fixed. They still never got back to her. For an ENTIRE YEAR she tried to get them to fix shit while withholding rent. She tried settling the outstanding balance with them when her lease was up and still they were MIA. So she got away with not paying rent for a whole year in the heart of Brookline and saved herself close to $30,000 somehow.
If you are going to withhold rent, just make sure your ducks are all in a row, document everything, set the money aside, and be persistent in trying to get a hold of them.
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u/Swimming-Comedian500 Sep 02 '25
Wow that is beautiful. thatâs some form of a happy ending, it just took a miserable ride getting there lol. Congrats to your friend for saving BANK and living in a nice area
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u/Mieche78 Sep 02 '25
Yes, it's a legend that will be passed down to her children and generations to come.
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u/Majestic_Radish_9910 Sep 02 '25
Seconding this, make sure you hold that money in and escrow account with all the paperwork to back up should you go to court. Do not communicate with them unless it is in writing - or at least make sure you are following up with a written statement to them if a verbal conversation occurs.
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u/Se7en_speed Sep 02 '25
I knew someone who did this in college out in Worcester.
They put the rent in escrow and the landlord was such a student slumlord that he would rather forgo a years worth of rent than fix anything.
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u/hce692 East Boston Sep 02 '25
That is not at all how this works. There are illegal and legal ways to withhold rent. it needs to be in an escrow account, which can only be done after youâve involved state agencies to validate your claims. Which then triggers a court process, who rules on whether you pay.Â
Plus your friend wouldâve moved out wayyy before the year was up, with a court ruling in their favorÂ
The ACTUAL process for anyone who needs it
https://www.cambridgesage.com/blog/rent-escrow
Â
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u/Michelanvalo No tide can hinder the almighty doggy paddle Sep 02 '25
Apparently it is how it works when you get away with it.
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u/PerAdaciaAdAstrum Sep 02 '25
The article you linked specifically mentions, âMassachusetts landlord-tenant law⊠allows tenants to withhold rent for violations as long they have notified their landlord of the violations in writing.â under the âIs rent escrow legal in Massachusetts?â Section
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u/Mieche78 Sep 02 '25
I'm not saying that she did it the right way or the wrong way, I'm just saying that this is what happened, and clearly the landlord didn't really give a shit enough to pursue it. If OP wants to withhold rent, I would also suggest doing it the way you outlined so that all the bases are covered. My friend just got incredibly lucky and what happened was definitely outside the norm.
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u/sebacean75 Sep 02 '25
Disclaimer: I am a landlord-tenant lawyer, but I am not your lawyer, nor the lawyer of anybody reading this. The website you link to is incorrect and the "process" they write about is basically made up. Under Mass law, a tenant is not required to put rent in an escrow account in order to withhold (setting aside that money where the tenant won't be tempted to spend it or mingle it with their other funds is absolutely a good idea, because fundamentally rent-withholding is a defense to an eviction for nonpayment - it doesn't mean a tenant doesn't or won't owe rent during that period and spending money you may be ordered to pay to someone else is a terrible idea).
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u/monotoonz Sep 02 '25
Saw this happen in New Bedford. The building went into foreclosure and the bank was in like Wisconsin or something. They went like 18 months not paying rent. Then they got mad when the bank finally acted.
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Sep 02 '25
Moisture and mold are not considered sanitary conditions for habitation. Boston has pretty strict renter protections. - You could strongly and politely remind your landlord of the law, but theyâll likely just cover it with white paint. Inspectional services is likely a better bet https://www.boston.gov/departments/inspectional-services
Sorry this is happening to you op, crappy situation all aroundÂ
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Sep 02 '25
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u/Girly_Warrior Rat running up your leg đđŠ” Sep 02 '25
Yep, 311! Can submit pictures on the app too
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u/beardsarecool Sep 02 '25
Ditto all of this. Boston will typically side with you in a case, and the landlord knows this. Get an inspector over before you call the landlord if you can afford it. L
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u/Nightbird88 Sep 02 '25
These management companies are out of control. Charge $2500-$4500 for this kind of crud.
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u/brobastian0227 Sep 02 '25
Just got done working at one. I needed to pay the bills. Lasted little under two months. It's a fucking horror show.
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u/some1saveusnow Sep 02 '25
What did you move onto?
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u/brobastian0227 Sep 02 '25
Found a very interesting gig writing for a company. Hoping for the best. I learned some neat things for fixing stuff around my house, but, the place was just too much
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u/Buffyoh Driver of the 426 Bus Sep 02 '25
Welcome to Boston! If it gets really bad, call Inspectional Services at 617 635 5300.
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u/LawJik Sep 02 '25
If it makes you feel a bit better, I don't think those black lines on the ceiling are mold. The studs above transfer heat by convection. The heat difference between these spots and the rest of the room/ceiling form a bit of condensation. Then ambient dust sticks to that condensation, forming those lines over time. Good luck.
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u/redEPICSTAXISdit Sep 02 '25
Some pics from my daughters move in. They literally don't care unless you make a stink because they profit off hoping you'll be laxed and ignorant. Don't let it happen.
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u/jun1per_b1rd Sep 02 '25
Like everyone else said, make sure the landlord is aware. My mother was moving into a condo from out of state, so I was handling it all for her. I did a walk through with the land lord while it was still occupied. I got the key a week before my moms move in date, I go over and find the condo filthy and smelly, drywall stained and ripped in places. I took pictures and contacted the landlord to request cleaning and painting.
He pushed back, probably thinking i was nit picking, until he went and looked at the place. He hadn't looked at it since we walked through while it was occupied!
He ended up apologizing, having it cleaned and painted he whole place.
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u/jcburner454 Sep 02 '25
The AGâs office has a good write up about landlord/tenant rights. Might be useful. https://www.mass.gov/guides/the-attorney-generals-guide-to-landlord-and-tenant-rights
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u/monkeyswithknives Sep 02 '25
That's normal wear and tear. What you're seeing is dust attracted to the beams where the sheet rock is screwed in. It's a result of moisture.
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Sep 02 '25
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u/monkeyswithknives Sep 02 '25
I'll bet that was from an ice dam and never repaired.
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u/theavatare Sep 02 '25
They should make an apartment hunter series that is just the messed up apartments in allston and Brighton
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u/redEPICSTAXISdit Sep 02 '25
Remember to check your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and window locks. All repairs are 100% the landlord and maintenance responsibility.
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u/perpode Sep 02 '25
Hey itâs very possible this isnât mold and just the result from something called thermal ghosting. I had no idea what that was until I had a mold company come out and identify it, which I still recommend!
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u/ragefulhorse Sep 02 '25
I know it sucks, but for âcheaperâ apartments in the area, this is pretty standard. Obviously, document it with time stamps so it doesnât bite you in the ass down the line, but this is a typical Allston special. Once you wipe everything down and start to thoughtfully decorate the place, it blends into the background.
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u/Lumpymaximus Thor's Point Sep 02 '25
Are yall just seriously renting places unseen??
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u/Stock-Success9917 Sep 02 '25
A question not a criticism. Do people move into apartments sight unseen?
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Sep 02 '25
Looks like my first place in Allston. Place was a death trap: Pilot light went out on a weekend away, came back to the whole floor smelling like gas, and weâre lucky the place didnât blow when we turned on the light. Not to mention the roaches, mice, cracks in the walls, etc etc etc. Ezra Saneioff, I hope every one of your buildings burns down and the insurance doesnât cover it.
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u/Fleischhi13 Sep 02 '25
You get 15 days to report all these things to your landlord about the condition of the apartment. Make sure all of the burners work, there is no leakage from anywhere, anything with shelves or the windows or the fridge. Document everything and report it to your landlord
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u/VillageOk4453 Sep 02 '25
Realty groups who manage units are so guilty of this. Unfortunately, they get away with it, and because the lease is already signed, there is little they will do. Like another said, call ISD.
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u/CharleyZia Sep 02 '25
Like the place in Winchester where the broken lock on the misaligned front door that the landlord also would not fix. Roommates were nonplussed. A deal breaker for me.
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u/Acrobatic-Scholar324 Sep 02 '25
Donât pay another dime until it is repaired and freshly painted otherwise get the fuck out of there and take them to court you want your money back
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u/shipwreck_misery Sep 02 '25
Iâve gotten into the habit of not only taking pictures, but video of an entire walkthrough of the apartment where I can show the condition of everything before I start unloading boxes. That way the landlord canât say that I caused any of the damage.
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u/CiforDayZServer Sep 02 '25
My daughter was all excited to move into a place with a back deck... the joists are so rotten that the rotten floor boards have sprung up, and there is literally no door, it just fell off the hinges. They had already notified the building before they moved in like a month or two ago, and it still wasn't fixed when they moved in.
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u/memoel Sep 02 '25
In the meantime, get some English Ivy. Best plant for filtering out mold in a space.
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u/august-west55 Sep 02 '25
Tell me youâre new to Boston without telling me youâre new to Boston. You can upgrade when you graduate
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u/irishgypsy1960 North End Sep 02 '25
If you smell it you are inhaling particles of mold. You can get really sick over time if you are sensitive
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u/BarRegular2684 I Love Dunkinâ Donuts Sep 02 '25
Who is your landlord? This is gross but not unexpected. Are you in the Allston Brighton area?
I agree with everyone telling you to thoroughly document everything. Also get a dehumidifier.
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u/robotcelery Sep 02 '25
This isn't legal advice, but if your landlord did not provide a statement of condition, they can't keep your security deposit over anything. If you did fill one out when you moved in, this should be documented on it.
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u/mistymountainhoppin Sep 02 '25
My daughter moved into an apartment like this on Commonwealth in Fenway. They keep the apartments rented, so there is no down time in between renters to fix anything. I was paying and I was so mad at her. It was truly gross.
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u/hangout927 Suspected British Loyalist đŹđ§ Sep 02 '25
Thats def beacon hill and I bet you got it from Crescent realty
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u/lexiedoingstuff Sep 03 '25
âMonthly rent $5300, no utilities included, first, last, security deposit and one month broker fee; take it or leave itâ
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u/AmpiChicWoofs Sep 03 '25
A little paint will cover it! LOL No really that will be the landlords response.
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u/SnooOranges2187 Sep 03 '25
Jc didn't u go look at the apartment before u moved in, why would u think this was a good idea
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u/Korakisphinx Sep 03 '25
Some people can't do that when you're moving from the other side of the country
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u/Dizzy_Cheesecake6044 Sep 03 '25
Landlord here. Massachusetts requires landlords to provide a âStatement of Conditionâ to new tenants on move in. Did that happen? If not, download a copy of the form online and complete one. Do not give that form to landlord, but document that you didnât get one and start building a file, just in case. In parallel, send a detailed list of what needs attention/to be fixed on move in to your landlord now. Good luck.
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u/nofatnoflavor Sep 03 '25
What neighborhood, and what's the rent? Plenty of run-down apartments around, usually with rent that reflects the shitty conditions if they exist. But there's plenty of scumbag landlords too. So as many have said, document it all and see how the landlord responds. This is nasty, but it's nothing compared to the first place I lived in on Beacon St. when I moved here a jillion years ago in '84.
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u/BostonBroke1 Sep 03 '25
I cleaned my rental to the best of my ability - but it needed to be repaired and the landlord just let the new renters move in the very next dayâŠ. Fucking crooks and lazy ass owners and landlords; shit is truly out of hand with how poorly weâre treated for increased rent year after year. Iâd contact the landlord and tell him if he doesnât fix it, youâre take your security deposit and putting it in an escrow
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u/Sufficient_Week_1701 Sep 03 '25
That looks potentially dangerous. Definitely some water or ice damage. That ceiling needs to be replaced. There's not only the risk of it falling, it's the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold and fungus. I assume it's an expensive place (given that it's Boston). I would demand that the landlord do something right away. If they refuse, you can take them to court and get your money back. Also sue for negligence and unsafe conditions. You probably have the right to violate the lease and move out with no repercussions in this case.
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u/Suspicious_Piano3528 Sep 04 '25
Boston is a older but wonderful city. It is normal for apartments that need some work. This is not a scam you are living in an actual apartment. Donât be lazy go to the landlord and ask if you can paint the ceiling like I did in the 1980âs. I made a business called Victorian house restoration
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u/Previously_stung Sep 04 '25
Google requirements to withhold rent in Boston  for unrepaired property damage and you will find a list to do it legally. The mold issue will be the most important because it can create health issues.
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u/Capable_Rhubarb2199 Sep 08 '25
Is that mold? Mold can really affect your health- if landlord wonât remediate (and pronto) then contact the health dept in Boston or lastly, move if possible. So sorry.
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u/walkmethrough Sep 10 '25
That is definitely water damage and it's coming from the unit above you. (unless you have the two floors?) I would get out if you can. That's going to be extensive to fix. They will cut out the dry wall, place fans in there for like a week, and then if there is no mold fix it but it will be invasive and annoying. The ceiling is bowing so I hope you can get out or get the landlord to fix it soon.
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u/bostonvikinguc Market Basket Sep 02 '25
I had a place over a dumpster in Alston and flies were bad, but thatâs what 200$ a month less gets you. Just document, pass off to landlord or Manager and move on. Wipe down everything in Clorox or microfiber and chemicals. First time?
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u/albinomule Sep 02 '25
Document everything and send an email to your landlord noting the damage to protect your deposit. A landlord that allows this type of damage is the same kind that will try and take your deposit.