text: in ma,if your landlord owes u your last mos. rent, how long from when u vacate do they have 2 get it to you?? also, i have 2 kids and have been in this house for 4 yrs. am i expected to paint where my kids knicked the walls or does it fall under normal wear & tear? technically, if you vacate he cant owe you your last months rent becuase it was used to pay for your last month there. unless you mean security depost, in that case your best bet is to check out the website "how to be a landlord in massachusetts and avoid legal trouble" at http://www.gis.net/~groucho/landlord.html#3