Lockett v. Blue Ocean Bristol, LLC

McDonald, j.

State law protects a residential tenant from retaliation by a landlord for certain specified activities, including participation in a tenants association. Proof of an act of retaliation may be a defense to eviction and may entitle the tenant to an award of damages, attorneys’ fees, and court costs. But, even if a tenant proves an act of retaliation, the tenant is eligible for relief only if the tenant is “current on the rent.” This case concerns what is meant by “rent” — a term left undefined in the statute — and how a court should handle a request for an award of attorneys’ fees.

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