Every landlord hopes for a dream tenant who pays their rent on time, lives happily with their neighbors and does not cause trouble when renewing their lease agreement. Unfortunately, things don’t always turn out this way. At some point, every landlord encounters an unruly or difficult tenant.
Learning how to legally evict a tenant is important if you are a landlord in Arizona. Why? Because if you find yourself in a position where you have to evict a tenant, you will want to be certain that you go about the eviction process per the existing laws.
What does the law say about tenant eviction in Arizona?
Both landlords and tenants have rights as outlined in the Arizona Residential Landlord Tenant Act. Many of the laws, rules and regulations that protect parties are outlined in the lease agreement. Under these laws, an eviction (also known as a “forcible detainer”) can occur under certain circumstances.
Here are some of the specific circumstances under which a landlord can evict a tenant in Arizona:
Non-payment of rent
Ideally, tenants are expected to pay their rent in full and on time at the beginning of every month. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. A landlord can evict a tenant if they fail to pay rent.
As a rule of thumb, the lease agreement should indicate when the rent should be paid and what happens in situations where the renter doesn’t pay.
Use of property for illegal activities
You can evict a tenant if they are using the property for illegal activity. This includes tenants who use the property as a distribution base for illegal substances and those who are improperly operating a business on the property.
Determining when and how to evict a tenant is not always straightforward, especially if you are new to the process. This is why it is crucial that you understand how you can legally evict a tenant without the risk of running into trouble with the law.
