Can I be evicted from my landlord for no reason?

A landlord must follow certain procedures in order to terminate a tenancy.  The landlord must give at least 20 days’ written notice prior to the end of the month.  However, the landlord may terminate the lease or rental agreement if the tenant violates his or her obligations as defined in the rental agreement signed by the parties involved.

A landlord who wants to evict a tenant must follow the relevant state and local laws.  They must give an eviction notice specifying the reason for the eviction.  These might include non-payment of rent, not fixing a violation of the rental agreement such as acquiring a pet, which is forbidden by the lease.  In some states, a landlord may give notice to tenant if the tenant has repeatedly been late with the rent or is conducting illegal activity on the premises.

In most states, a landlord can give an eviction notice without giving any reason.  The time allowed under state law for such a notice is usually 30 or 60 days, but it could be as short as 20 days or as long as 90 days.  A landlord cannot give this kind of notice to a tenant with a lease until the lease period is over.

After receiving eviction papers, the tenant has a chance for rebuttal.  Their answer must be in the form required by the local court and state laws.  If the tenant raises a valid defense, the case will be set for a hearing.