When it comes to business property you own, landlords have certain rights, but so do tenants. If you feel your tenants are violating their lease and wondering if it is legal to evict them, or are simply trying to become aware of the laws, you should know the reasons that a landlord can legally evict tenants. Of course there are other minor reasons as well, depending on the specific situation and the court’s ruling, but these are four main reasons a landlord can evict a tenant.
Failure to Pay Rent
The failure to pay rent can be construed as either not paying the rent at all, or continuously paying it late. As the landlord, you must clearly state the date when the rent is due, which is usually on the first of every month. Some landlords give tenants a few days before it is officially late, as a convenience to their tenants. However, if a tenant hasn’t paid his or her rent or it is late over and over again, the landlord has every right to evict them. Keeping records of when you send notices to your tenants who have paid their rent late helps you create a paper trail to be used if it goes to trial.
Safety and Health Violations
As part of the tenant lease, you and the tenant signed a document stating they will keep all safety and health violations in mind with the property they are currently renting. There are a lot of potential safety and healthy violations that can occur on the property, the details of which vary by state. Checking with your local housing authority can provide you with more information on exactly what acts define a reason for eviction. For example, improperly cleaning the interior of the building could lead to other complications, but this is usually a reason for a warning first. In many cases, this is a health violation and they can be evicted if they ignore the notice.
Violating the Lease
Just about any violation of the leasing agreement with your business property can be terms for eviction. You and the tenant signed the renter’s agreement, which is a legal document. The tenant agreed to whatever terms are in the lease, so if the tenant breaks any of those terms, an eviction might be called for. It is up to you about whether or not you will give them warning notices before eviction. It can be anything from not allowing pets in the building, to not tending to the lawn outside your building if that is detailed in the lease.
Illegal Activities
Using your business property for any illegal purposes is a violation of not only the lease agreement, but a violation of certain healthy and safety codes. This is a reason for automatic eviction, and can be any type of illegal activity.
Business insurance is always a good thing to have, whether you are the tenant or the landlord of the property. As a tenant, it protects you from lawsuits, just as much as insurance protects landlords.
