How can I learn more about Boston neighborhoods?
Hammersmith's Residential Reports provide a concise overview of each neighborhood's history, amenities, and demographics. Additional information on municipal services (trash pickup schedules, polling locations, and police/fire departments) can be found by entering your apartment's address at the Who Am I? page of the City of Boston website. Information on public transportation can be found at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) web site.

Crime statistics by neighborhood, precinct or ward can be found at the City of Boston web site. You can also search the National Sex Offender Public Registry
as well as the Massachusetts Sex Offender Registry Board for Level 2
and Level 3 sex offenders. Please be advised that not all state web sites provide for full disclosure of information about all sex offenders who reside, work, or attend school in the state.

Please note that the content of the above-referenced web sites is not under The Hammersmith Group's control, and The Hammersmith Group makes no representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained therein.

What is the rental process like?
We recommend that you begin your search by contacting a Hammersmith
Residential agent. Your agent will discuss your housing needs and preferences, and will search our proprietary database of listings for appropriate matches. Your agent will schedule and accompany you on viewings of various properties. We suggest that you bring a digital camera or a notepad to make notes and take photos of the various properties.

Once you find a place that appeals to you, your agent will assist you in filling out a rental application form. This form, along with a credit check and personal references, is intended to give the landlord a better sense of your financial background and employment history. Students and young professionals without sufficient references or employment history may be required to have a co-signer or a guarantor for their lease application.

We also recommend that our clients bring with them two forms of government-issued photo identification and their checkbooks. They should be prepared to write checks for, at a minimum: first and last month's rent, security deposit, key charge, and brokerage fees.

What is the purpose of the co-signer and guarantor forms?
The co-signer form provides landlords with assurance that parents or guardians have the financial resources to be capable of paying for their child's apartment. The guarantor form is often used by landlords when renting property to students and young professionals. The guarantor form is to be signed by the parents or guardians of the lessee, and it states that the parent or guardian is responsible for fulfilling the financial obligations of the lease.

Can a landlord refuse to rent to someone?
A landlord has the right to refuse to rent to any prospective tenant based on a poor credit history or insufficient income to reasonably cover the cost of the rent. Families with children may be legally denied tenancy in an owner-occupied two-family house, or in a two or three family house in which an elderly or infirm person resides.

In Massachusetts, it is illegal to discriminate against a tenant based on any of the following "protected classes": age (except minors), ancestry, color, familial status (including families with children and pregnant women), marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability or handicap, race, religion or creed, sex, sexual orientation, source of income (e.g. public assistance or rent subsidy), or veteran status. Please not that some limited exemptions exist in the federal and state laws concerning discrimination.

Can we make any changes to the property?
Individual landlords have their own policies regarding the painting of units and other alterations. We recommend that tenants discuss these matters directly with the property owner and set forth an agreement in writing in order to prevent disputes arising over the question of improvements, damages, and security deposits.

Disclaimer: The information contained herein is provided as a courtesy only, and is not intended to take the place of legal or financial advice. For specific questions regarding these matters, please consult an attorney or financial advisor.