~ Lead Paint
Information ~
What lead paint forms must owners of
rental units give to tenants?
All tenants who live in units built before 1978 must be given two
copies of this Tenant Lead Law Notification and Tenant Certification
Form. If any of the following documents exist for the unit, tenants
must also be given a copy of them:
- Lead inspection or risk assessment report.
- Letter of Compliance or Letter of Interim Control.
When do owners have to give tenants these
forms?
New tenants must be given the forms before entering the rental
agreement under Massachusetts Law as of September 1, 1995.
What is lead poisoning, and how do
children become lead poisoned?
Lead poisoning is a disease. Lead can make children, especially
those under six years old very sick and can cause learning and
behavior problems. Lead is often found in paint on the inside and
outside of homes. The main way a child can get lead poisoned is from
swallowing lead paint dust and chips. A child can also get lead from
other sources such as soil and water, but these rarely cause lead
poisoning by themselves. The only way to tell for sure that a child
is lead poisoned is to have his or her blood tested. Your doctor,
other health care provider, or Board of Health can do this. A Lead
poisoned child will need medical care. A home with lead paint must
be deleaded for a lead poisoned child to get well.
What can you do to prevent lead poisoning?
- Talk to your child's doctor about lead.
- Have your child tested for lead at least once a year until
he/she is four years old.
- Ask the owner if your home has been deleaded or call the state
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) at
1-800-532-9571, or your local Board of Health.
- Tell the owner if you have a new baby, or if a new child under
six years old lives with you.
- If your home was deleaded, but has peeling paint, tell and
write the owner. If he/she does not respond, call CLPPP or your
local Board of Health.
- If your home has not been deleaded, you can do some things to
reduce temporarily the chances of your child becoming lead
poisoned. You can clean your home regularly to wipe up dust and
loose paint chips. Use a cleaner called TSP or an automatic
dishwasher detergent high in phosphate, or other cleaners made
just for cleaning lead dust and chips. The areas to clean most
often are window wells, sills, and floors. Wash your child's hands
often (particularly before eating or sleeping) and wash your
child's toys. Remember, the only way to permanently lower the risk
of your child getting lead poisoned is to have your home deleaded
if it contains lead paint.
What does the Lead Law require the owner
of your home to do if a child under six years old lives there?
An owner of a home built before 1978 must have the home inspected
for lead if a child under six years old lives there. If lead hazards
are found, it must be deleaded or brought under interim control. A
licensed deleader has to do all removal of leaded paint, and all
other high-risk work. The owner or someone who works for him who is
not a licensed deleader can do certain low-risk deleading and
interim control work. After the work is done, the lead inspector or
risk assessor issues a Letter of Compliance or Letter of Interim
Control. The owner must make sure there is no peeling paint anytime
after getting a Letter of Compliance or Letter of Interim Control.
What is a Letter of Compliance?
It is a legal letter that says either that there are no lead
paint hazards or that the home has been deleaded. The letter is
signed and dated by a licensed lead inspector.
What is a Letter of Interim Control?
It is a legal letter that says the work necessary to make the
home temporarily safe from lead hazards has been done. The letter is
signed and dated by a licensed lead risk assessor. It is good for
one year, and can be renewed for one more year. The owner must fully
delead the home and get a Letter of Compliance before the end of the
second year.
Massachusetts Lead Paint Law
Massachusetts Lead Paint Law (Espanol)
