Jinwala v. Bizzaro

The plaintiff (landlord) brought a summary process action in a District Court seeking to evict the defendant (tenant) from residential premises in Belmont. See G. L. c. 239. The tenant filed a counterclaim alleging violation by the landlord of the security deposit law. See G. L. c. 186, § 15B. It is undisputed that the landlord did violate the security deposit law by (1) failing to put the security deposit of $600 in a separate, interest-bearing account in a bank (G. L. c. 186, § 15B[3][a]), (2) failing to pay interest on the security deposit (§ 15B[3][b]), and (3) failing to give the tenant…