An Act relative to rent escrow

This bill modifies Massachusetts laws to allow tenants facing eviction to pay their rent into a court-held escrow account instead of directly to the landlord. Under the new rules, if a tenant requests this option, the court must hold a hearing and require the tenant to deposit monthly rent plus any arrears calculated based on the property's fair market value. These funds are kept in escrow until the eviction case is resolved, with the money designated first for necessary repairs if the tenant prevails. If a tenant refuses to make the required deposit, the court can schedule a bench trial and issue further orders as it sees fit. The measure directly impacts landlords, tenants, and courts involved in summary process actions related to rent withholding.