Landlord cancel agreement: when and how?

A landlord can legally cancel the rental agreement if the tenant commits a significant violation or break the law.

Ending “For Cause”

When the landlord wants to end the tenancy due to the violation committed by the tenant, it is considered ending a tenancy “for cause.”

Some of these violations include paying the rent late, keeping a pet in a no-pet property, damaging the property, doing illegal activities in the premise, like drug dealing.

First, the landlord should send a notice telling the tenant that the tenancy has been cancelled. Each state law has their own set of rules and detailed requirements on how a landlord must write and serve the termination notice.

Termination Notice

The termination notice can inform the tenant that the tenancy is over and warn the tenant to leave the premises, otherwise face an eviction lawsuit.

Depending on the severity of the violation, the landlord can give the tenant a few days to fix the violation like paying the rent or looking for a home for the pet.

There are different types of notices depending on the reasons. Landlords should use the proper notice form and fill it with the appropriate information according to the Residential Tenancy Act, otherwise, the notice will be void. If the landlord resolves to file an eviction lawsuit from an incorrect and incomplete notice, there is a chance that the application be dismissed.

“No Fault” Reasons

There are other reasons for ending tenancy that are not caused by the tenant. One example is if the landlord plans to make major repairs and renovations and work can’t be done if the tenant still lives in the property. If the landlord’s immediate family wants to move in to the property, then the landlord can terminate the tenancy.

If you are a landlord and you want to end the tenancy, or if you are a tenant and you get a notice of eviction, consult or hire a lawyer to make sure that the termination of rental agreement is lawful.