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PHONE SCAM ALERT

: in more than a dozen states, including California, reports have been filed regarding calls from people claiming to be court officials or law enforcement officers. Do not provide any information having to do with your bank or credit card to anyone claiming to be an officer of the court or of the law. If you receive communication from someone requesting your personal information, immediately contact the fraud unit of your local police department. Be advised that although court personnel may contact you by telephone, they will never ask for your personal or credit card information.

Unlawful Detainer / Evictions

Eviction cases are called "unlawful detainer" in court. An unlawful detainer lawsuit is a process a landlord can use to try to make a tenant move out of his or her rental unit. It can also be used to try to get rent that is owed.

A landlord may be able to evict a tenant if the tenant:

  • Fails to pay the rent on time;
  • Breaks the lease or rental agreement and will not fix the problem (like keeping your cat when pets are not allowed);
  • Damages the property bringing down the value (commits "waste");
  • Becomes a serious nuisance by disturbing other tenants and neighbors even after being asked to stop; or
  • Uses the property to do something illegal.

A landlord cannot evict a tenant for an illegal reason like discrimination or to get back at the tenant for taking action against the landlord, like filing a complaint because the property’s heating system is broken.

Please note that there are special rules for some types of eviction cases due to the COVID-19 statewide rules. 

Other types of legal disputes between landlords and tenants are generally handled in small claims court.