California limits when a landlord can evict renters. (2024)

FAQs

California limits when a landlord can evict renters.? ›

In California, landlords can only evict tenants for specific reasons that are outlined in state law. These reasons include not paying rent, violating their lease agreement, committing a nuisance, or endangering other tenants' health and safety. Affordable housing and rent control policies may vary by county.

Also effective April 1, 2024, the eviction notice must include the name of the person moving in, their relationship to the owner, and that the tenant may request proof of that relationship, and there must be no other similar unit already vacant on the property that the owner or relative could move in to instead.

Currently, a tenant can be evicted if the landlord or landlord's family is going to move in. But starting April 1, the landlord or their family will have to move in within 90 days and live there for at least a year. Local governments are also now banned from "crime-free housing" policies.

California's Tenant Protection Act

The Tenant Protection Act prohibits landlords from evicting most tenants without “just cause.” The law sets out two kinds of evictions: "at fault" evictions and "no fault" evictions. At fault evictions include: Nonpayment of rent.

Tenants cannot be evicted unlawfully in the state of California. However, a landlord has the right to evict a tenant after failing to pay rent on time. In California's housing law, the rent is considered late the day after its due date.

But, your landlord can still require you to move out for one of the “no-fault” reasons listed in the law. If your landlord evicts you for one of these reasons, they must first give you one month's rent or waive one month's rent to help you move out.

On September 30, 2023 in the Senate: Approved by the Governor. Chaptered by Secretary of State. Chapter 290, Statutes of 2023.

The Tenant Protection Act caps rent increases for most residential tenants in California. Landlords can't raise rent more than 10% total or 5% + CPI increase (whichever is lower) over a 12-month period. No-fault evictions are prohibited, so landlords can't evict a tenant without cause.

New California laws in 2024 will increase wages, provide more sick days, and lower a rental's security deposit - ABC7 Los Angeles.

The “Ellis Act” is a state law which says that landlords have the unconditional right to evict tenants to “go out of business.” For an Ellis eviction, the landlord must remove all of the units in the building from the rental market, i.e., the landlord must evict all the tenants and cannot single out one tenant (for ...

What is the quickest I can be evicted in California? ›

If tenants are served with a 3 Day Notice to Pay or Vacate, and if they don't pay, the eviction process in California can start on the 4th day. If they are doing criminal activity a 3 Day Notice to Vacate is also served.

Comply With the Eviction Notice, If Possible

If you comply with the eviction notice by either paying all the rent due and owing or correcting the lease violation, then, in California, the landlord must not proceed with the eviction (see Cal. Code of Civ. Proc. § 1161).

Under the new law, landlords moving into their units or renting to family also must identify the people moving in. In addition, the rental must be occupied within three months of eviction and they must live in the unit for at least a year.

No-fault Just Causes are: (1) Intent to occupy the property by the owner or spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents or grandparents; (2) Withdrawal from the rental market; (3) Compliance with order from the government to vacate; (4) Intent to demolish or substantially remodel.

Tenant Rights and Responsibilities

According to California landlord-tenant laws, tenants have the right to live in safe, habitable rental units, as well as sue the landlord for retaliation, withhold rent for failure to provide essential services, recover attorney's fees, and more.

California Senate Bill 567, i.e., the Homelessness Prevention Act, which goes into effect on April 1, 2024, seeks to cap rent hikes at 10% and prevents landlords from evicting tenants without a legal cause. California Assembly Bill 12, i.e., the new residential security deposit law, which goes into effect on July 1, ...

By law, security deposits must be returned when the tenant moves out, minus allowed expenses. The law limits the amount of security deposits. o Until July 1, 2024, the limit is two times the monthly rent (or, for furnished units, three times the rent). o After July 1, 2024, the limit is one month's rent.

Beginning February 1, 2024, renters must pay their full current monthly rent to avoid eviction for non-payment of rent. If you get a 3, 30, 60, 90-day notice, or any other notice to terminate, then your landlord can file a lawsuit with the court called an "unlawful detainer" that can lead to your eviction.

Just Cause Exempted Properties: The following properties are exempted from the just cause requirements: Transient and tourist hotel occupancy (i.e., Short term rentals for less than 30 days) Dormitories (i.e., colleges, or grade 1-12) Housing subject to rent or price control through a public entity restriction.