ABA Family Legal Guide

Renting Residential Property

Ending the Landlord-Tenant Relationship

Lease Termination by Landlords

Does the tenant owe rent after the termination of the lease and eviction?

The landlord and the court may terminate the right of the tenant to occupy the premises. In many areas, however, the tenant can still be held liable for the payment of rent if the lease provides for it. But it is unusual for the landlord to sue the tenant a second time if the reason for the first lawsuit was nonpayment of rent. Debt collection against a tenant who was evicted for nonpayment of rent is usually a waste of time because the tenant who did not have the money to pay the rent does not have the money to pay a judgment.