| Repair | Who pays | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk Trash / Junk Removal | City | Boston collects furniture with regular trash, mattresses by appointment, and special items up to 10 per year and 5 per appointment. |
| Sewer Lateral | Property owner | Boston owners own the whole sewer lateral to the street main. BWSC grants up to $8,000 (8-ft relay) or $6,000 (full replacement), once per 10 years. |
| Sidewalk Repair | Shared | Who pays for sidewalk repair in Boston, MA? Public ways: city maintains. Private ways: owners maintain everything (check the Street Book). |
| Tree Roots | City | In Boston the City owns all street trees and repairs sidewalk damage on City property, so City-tree root heave is the City’s to fix. |
Bulk Trash / Junk Removal
Boston collects furniture with regular trash and handles mattresses and special items by appointment, with a 10-item yearly limit on special items.
Furniture can be put out with your normal curbside trash and recycling on your scheduled collection day.
Source: Trash
Sewer Lateral
Boston owners own the entire lateral from the basement to the main, but a BWSC grant covers up to $8,000 of the repair once a decade.
While BWSC is responsible for maintaining its sewer main located in a public way, property owners are responsible for all expenses resulting from maintenance and repair of their property's entire lateral from inside the property's basement to BWSC's sewer main in the street.
Sidewalk Repair
Boston: responsibility is shared, Boston public vs private ways.
The City of Boston is responsible for all general maintenance of public ways.
Source: Public vs. Private Ways
Tree Roots
Boston: the City owns all street trees and repairs sidewalk damage on City property, so City-tree root heave is the City’s to fix.
if it is determined that minor damage has occurred on City of Boston property - it's our responsibility to repair.
Source: City of Boston: Sidewalk Repair Program (City repairs minor damage on City property)
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