Section 87 Equity Theft 8

Said section 53 of said chapter 60, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by adding the following paragraph:-

Where the land is Class one, residential property as defined in section 2A of chapter 59 all notices sent pursuant to this section shall include a uniform notice prepared by the department of revenue, together with a notice in the 7 most common languages in the commonwealth, that this notice affects important legal rights and should be translated immediately. Such notice shall state in language understandable by a least sophisticated consumer:

(i) what taxes or other municipal costs remain unpaid;

(ii) the taxpayer's right to redeem full ownership of the property and the components of the amount required to redeem the property;

(iii) that a complaint to foreclose the tax title may be filed on or after a specific date;

(iv) that the tax title may be sold to a purchaser of tax receivables;

(v) that if a complaint to foreclose the tax title is filed and the owner does not respond by filing an answer, the court may enter an order defaulting the owner;

(vi) that if a complaint to foreclose the tax title is filed, the owner may respond by filing an answer that requests that the court set the terms by which the owner may redeem the property;

(vii) that if the property is not redeemed, the town or purchaser is entitled to receive a judgment from the land court that transfers title of the property to the town or purchaser and permanently eliminates any title rights the owner has in the property; and

(viii) that following a foreclosure of the property, the former owner shall be entitled to any excess equity in the property, upon written request to the municipality or purchaser of tax receivables, pursuant to section 64A.