Landlords for commercial business spaces may wonder if they can evict tenants who cross certain lines. While tenants definitely have rights, landlords also have liberties they can exercise to protect their business interests under certain circumstances.
Learning the circumstances under which they can evict a tenant can empower landlords to keep their business running without finding themselves on the wrong side of the law.
Non-payment of rent
It can be frustrating for landlords to have a tenant who does not pay their rent. Thankfully, this is a valid reason for evicting a tenant from a commercial business space. However, landlords should follow the proper procedures to avoid legal trouble.
First, they should issue a demand for payment notice that requires the tenant to pay the rent areas or move out of their commercial business unit. The notice provides the tenant with a duration within which they should act. If the tenant does not take any action within the given timeframe, the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit to initiate the eviction proceedings.
Violation of lease terms
When curating commercial leases, landlords have the liberty to stipulate various terms and conditions that both parties should agree to abide by. These may include:
- Restrictions on the type of business that can be conducted
- Hours of operation
- Specific maintenance responsibilities
Suppose a tenant violates any of the terms included in the lease agreement; the landlord has the liberty to ask them to leave. For example, if a tenant uses a commercial space designated for a retail business to operate a nightclub, the landlord can issue a notice of lease violation. The notice gives the tenant time to remedy the violation. Other common lease violations include:
- Conducting illegal activities on the premises
- Causing substantial damage to the property
- Creating a disturbance that interferes with other tenants or the neighborhood
- Renting out the space to another party without the landlord’s consent
If the tenant fails to comply upon receiving a violation notice, the landlord can proceed with the eviction process.
Landlords should remember to adhere to the specified legal requirements when evicting a tenant from a commercial space. By consulting with an appropriate legal team, landlords can help ensure that they follow the proper procedures to avoid potential legal disputes in the wake of exercising their rights.