A lease violation can occur through a breach of house rules. A breach of house rules are a violation of the the rules laid out in the lease agreement for the proper use of the property. If you intend to stop the behavior and protect your property, you need to react as quickly as possible. You may not be able to evict tenants for all violations. However, you can establish a paper trail of not tolerating certain violations. If the tenant refuses to correct the behavior, then you can begin considering an eviction.
Our lawyers can assists you with terminations for lease violations. If you have any questions about landlord rights in New Jersey, you can contact our lawyers for a free consultation. Until then, you can follow the steps below to put yourself in the best position for the outcome you want.
Review the Lease Agreement
Before you send the first notification, make sure you have all of your paperwork in order. An activity is not a violation just because it annoys you, or because you didn’t intend for it specifically. You need to check the lease agreement to make sure that the behavior is actually prohibited and if it isn’t prohibited by the lease, or by local codes, you may not be able to stop it. Your only option is to update your lease agreements to cover that behavior in the future.
Prepare and deliver a Notice to Cease
A Notice to Cease is a warning to tenants that they have 30 days to stop the violating behavior. Make sure that the notice is as detailed as possible when it comes to the violating behavior. Point out which clauses of the lease are being violated. Also, what state you expect from the property when you return for an inspection.
Performing a lease violation inspection requires you to give several days notice. That won’t be a problem if you specify in advance that it will happen at the end of the 30 days. Make sure you perform the inspection to verify that the behavior has ceased.
When you can send a Notice to Quit
A Notice to Quit is a warning to the tenant that they have one month to vacate the property, or risk an eviction lawsuit. If violations of the lease result in serious damage to the property, you may be able to send this one immediately. It is also an option if at the end of the Notice to Cease period, the tenant has not stopped the violating behavior.
If you can send a Notice to Quit, you should do so as soon as possible.
Talk to our lawyers about termination for a lease violation
Talk to our attorneys to learn more about evicting tenants for lease violations in New Jersey. We can ensure that your eviction process follows the law, so you can get your property back as soon as possible.