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Mass Consumer Affairs Blog
The Official Blog of the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation
For both tenants and landlords alike, it can be difficult to understand all the rules and responsibilities that go along with renting an apartment in Massachusetts. Our Office has a significant amount of information about renting on our website, but we know …Continue Reading Renting Rights
When registering as a Home Improvement Contractor (HIC) with the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR), contractors should be especially aware of the differences between registering as an individual contractor, with or without a D/B/A (doing business as), and registering as a …Continue Reading Home Improvement Contractor Registration: What Foreign Corporations Need to Know
What Is Renters Insurance? If you are thinking about renting an apartment, many experts suggest purchasing renters insurance. However, many renters either don’t know about it or don’t think they need it. Renters insurance is (generally) an optional insurance policy that individuals renting …Continue Reading What You Need to Know About Renters Insurance
When selling or trading in a car to a dealership, it is important to remember that both the dealership and the consumer have certain rights and responsibilities. If you are trading in a car for a different one, make sure to read and sign …Continue Reading Consumer Rights: Auto Financing
The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation receives many inquiries from consumers who have questions about car buying, car selling, and how to handle issues with their recently purchased car. OCABR has written a series of blogs and advisories to provide answers to …Continue Reading Car Owner Resources
Because return policies can vary from store to store, consumers often call our Office asking if a certain policy is legal. In Massachusetts, there is no set law about return policies. Some retailers have lifetime warranties and unlimited returns. Some companies may allow the purchaser …Continue Reading Racking Up Returns
The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation and the Department of Telecommunications and Cable urge residents to take pre-emptive measures this Hurricane Preparedness Week to ensure readiness during emergency situations or power outages impacting their communications services. Different services (for example, traditional wireline …Continue Reading Stay Connected During Emergencies
Hurricane Season officially began in June but this week is Hurricane Preparedness Week in Massachusetts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted a 70% chance of having 10 to 16 named storms, with five to nine possibly developing into hurricanes. That’s why the …Continue Reading Hurricane Preparedness: Do you know how to prep for a storm?
Have you come across unlocked bicycles propped up in random locations in your city or town? You may think the bright-colored bikes were left by mistake, but they may actually be a part of a dockless bike-sharing network. Companies such as ofo, Ant, Lime …Continue Reading Dockless Bike-sharing: The Nuts and Bolts of Station-Free Cycling
Peer-to-peer car-sharing has emerged as an alternative to renting a car. With a business model similar to Airbnb or Uber, it allows car owners to rent out their vehicles to individuals within a given area through a mobile app. In providing this service, these platforms, …Continue Reading Peer-to-Peer Car-Sharing: What Every Consumer Should Know
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2018