Can I fight my eviction without a lawyer?

Fighting your Eviction ONline is Free and Easy

MADE is a free tool that walks a tenant through a eviction response, step by step. All you need to do is answer short questions. When you're done you get paperwork to print and deliver to the court and to your landlord. MADE helps you:

• Understand your rights
• Respond to your landlord's case
• Get access to information your landlord has so you're ready for court
• Get more time (two weeks or more) before you go to court the first time, so you can read your landlord's information
• Show up on time to court

Most tenants finish the questions in about an hour. If you create a free account, you can save your work and come back to it later. MADE is a web app that can be used on a smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer.

Can I win my Eviction with MADE?

You can win your eviction! MADE will help you understand your rights and explain them clearly to the court. You still need to prove your case in court. Tenants who are ready for court:

• May win (get to stay in the apartment)
• May find that their landlord owes them money (for example, for not following the security deposit law or because they didn't repair serious housing problems)
• May negotiate a better deal
• Might understand their rights to get time to move or changes to the rules if they have a disability

Who can use MADE?

Any tenant in Massachusetts can use MADE, completely free. There are no income limits. MADE is free thanks to funding from tenants like you, the City of Boston, Massachusetts, and private foundations and donors. Greater Boston Legal Services created MADE because we only have enough resources to help one out of every three people who qualify.

MADE was created as an eviction prevention tool for people who have an eviction case that was filed in court. You can't use MADE yet if your landlord didn't send you a notice with a court date, called a Summons and Complaint. It may be too late to use MADE if you already signed a court agreement. If you're not sure, using MADE won't hurt.

What Do I need to use MADE?

• A smart phone or a computer, or a place where you can use one.
• A place to print the final forms (about 10-20 pages)

You can get free help using MADE at one of Greater Boston Legal Service's weekly clinics if you live in Boston. You may also be able to use MADE for free (and print your paperwork) at one of the six Court Service Centers all around the state. Don't forget, your local library has computers and a printer, too.

Can I get help Paying my Rent?

If you fell behind in your rent or need money to move, you might qualify for help from the RAFT program, Rental Assistance for Families in Transition. Call up your local counseling center to start an application. Tenants in Boston should apply through Metro Housing Boston. It takes time to apply for RAFT. Using MADE can help you get the time you need to get help paying your rent or find a lawyer.