California Landlord Selling the House
California rules on landlord selling the house for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: If a landlord voluntarily sells the rental, the tenants' rights do not change: a tenant with a lease can stay to the end of it on the same terms, and a new owner can end a month-to-month tenancy only as the law allows (just cause may be required under the Tenant Protection Act or local… Cal. Dept. of Real Estate, California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants' and Landlords' Rights and Responsibilities (2026 ed.)
The rules in California
| If the landlord sells the property | If a landlord voluntarily sells the rental, the tenants' rights do not change: a tenant with a lease can stay to the end of it on the same terms, and a new owner can end a month-to-month tenancy only as the law allows (just cause may be required under the Tenant Protection Act or local rules). The selling landlord must either transfer the deposits (less lawful deductions) to the buyer or return them to the tenants with an itemized statement, and must notify each tenant in writing, by first-class mail or personal delivery, of the transfer, any deductions, the amount transferred, and the new landlord's name, address and phone number. If the seller does neither, both the seller and the new landlord are responsible for the deposits, and the new landlord may not charge current tenants a new deposit just to make up for deposits it failed to get from the seller. Summary from the state's official tenant guide, which is not itself legal authority; check the Civil Code sections it cites before acting. |
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| Tenants in foreclosure | When a rental is sold at foreclosure, a month-to-month or periodic tenant must get 90 days' written notice to quit before being removed. A tenant with a fixed-term lease signed before the sale may stay until the lease ends, and the lease survives the sale. The new owner may end it early with 90 days' notice only if: the buyer will live in the unit as a primary residence; the tenant is the borrower or the borrower's spouse, child or parent; the lease was not an arm's-length deal; or the rent is far below market (unless subsidized). The buyer must prove that an exception applies. Local just-cause ordinances still apply. When a sale is noticed, the trustee must post on the property, and mail to 'Resident', a statutory notice telling tenants about these rights. § 1161b was made permanent by SB 18 (Stats. 2019). § 2924.8 read at https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV§ionNum=2924.8. The § 2924.8 notice applies when the mortgage billing address differs from the property address. |
Related questions
California vs. neighboring states
| State | If the landlord sells the property | Tenants in foreclosure |
|---|---|---|
| California | If a landlord voluntarily sells the rental, the tenants' rights do not change: a tenant with a lease can stay to the end of it on the same terms, and a new owner can end a month-to-month tenancy only as the law allows (just cause may be required under the Tenant Protection Act or local rules). The selling landlord must either transfer the deposits (less lawful deductions) to the buyer or return them to the tenants with an itemized statement, and must notify each tenant in writing, by first-class mail or personal delivery, of the transfer, any deductions, the amount transferred, and the new landlord's name, address and phone number. If the seller does neither, both the seller and the new landlord are responsible for the deposits, and the new landlord may not charge current tenants a new deposit just to make up for deposits it failed to get from the seller. Cal. Dept. of Real Estate, California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants' and Landlords' Rights and Responsibilities (2026 ed.) | When a rental is sold at foreclosure, a month-to-month or periodic tenant must get 90 days' written notice to quit before being removed. A tenant with a fixed-term lease signed before the sale may stay until the lease ends, and the lease survives the sale. The new owner may end it early with 90 days' notice only if: the buyer will live in the unit as a primary residence; the tenant is the borrower or the borrower's spouse, child or parent; the lease was not an arm's-length deal; or the rent is far below market (unless subsidized). The buyer must prove that an exception applies. Local just-cause ordinances still apply. When a sale is noticed, the trustee must post on the property, and mail to 'Resident', a statutory notice telling tenants about these rights. Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161b; Cal. Civ. Code § 2924.8 |
| Arizona | When a landlord sells a rental in a good-faith sale to a genuine buyer, the seller is relieved of liability under the lease and the landlord-tenant act for events after the tenant gets written notice of the sale, unless otherwise agreed; the seller stays liable for the deposit money and property the tenant is owed under the deposit statute. Whoever holds the landlord's interest when the tenancy ends is bound by the deposit-return rules. When an apartment community is sold, the landlord must hand the buyer at closing the security deposit records, each tenant's file including rental agreements, and other required documents it has. A.R.S. §§ 33-1325(A), 33-1321(H), 33-1330 | If a lease is signed after a foreclosure has started, the owner must include a written notice that the property is undergoing foreclosure. The notice must say whom to contact (court, trustee or attorney) and the sale date, or that no date is set. If the owner first gets a trustee's sale notice or foreclosure notice after the lease is signed, the owner must give the tenant that notice within 5 business days. If the owner fails to do so, the tenant may give a written notice under § 33-1361 (landlord noncompliance), recover damages and get an injunction, and must get the security deposit back under § 33-1321. This does not apply to buildings with 4 or more connected units. A.R.S. § 33-1331 |
| Nevada | Yes, the lease continues. Unless the new owner and tenant agree otherwise, a new owner after a voluntary sale takes on the previous landlord's rights, obligations, and liabilities under the existing rental agreement, and the tenant keeps theirs. The new owner must notify the tenant within 30 days of the sale where to pay rent, that the lease continues, and how much deposit the new owner holds. The selling landlord must, within a reasonable time, either tell the tenant in writing who the successor is and that the deposit balance was transferred, or return the deposit balance to the tenant; before recording the deed, the seller must transfer the deposit to the buyer in writing or notify the buyer in writing that it was returned. NRS 118A.349, 118A.244 | Before renting, a landlord must disclose in writing if the property is in foreclosure; a willful violation is a deceptive trade practice. After a residential foreclosure sale, a tenant in possession (not the borrower) can be removed only after notice of the change of ownership. The notice period is at least 60 days for month-to-month or longer periodic tenancies and at-will tenancies, or one full rental period for periods under 1 month. During that period the lease continues, the new owner takes on the old landlord's ch. 118A duties, and the notice must say where to pay rent. NRS 118A.275; NRS 40.255(2)-(5) |
| Oregon | Oregon has no state law in its Residential Landlord and Tenant Act that requires a selling landlord to transfer the security deposit to the buyer. The landlord's duty to disclose in writing who manages the property and who receives notices for the owner must be kept current and is enforceable against any successor landlord or owner. If the landlord has accepted an offer from a buyer who intends in good faith to live in the unit, a month-to-month tenancy (or a fixed term at or after its end) can be ended with at least 90 days' written notice stating the reason, and the landlord generally must pay the tenant one month's rent at the time of the notice (exemptions are in ORS 90.427(6)(b)). ORS ch. 90 (reviewed); ORS 90.305(2), 90.427(5)(a)(D), (6) | A tenant who gets actual notice of a foreclosure may apply the security deposit or prepaid rent toward rent and cannot be evicted for doing so. A fixed-term tenant may end the lease with at least 60 days' written notice. For buildings with 4 or fewer units, failure to disclose a pending foreclosure before signing lets a tenant who must move recover twice actual damages or twice the monthly rent, plus prepaid rent. After a trustee's sale, the buyer must give a bona fide tenant written notice: at least 60 days for a fixed-term tenant (30 days if the buyer will live in the unit), and 30 days for month-to-month or week-to-week tenants. The buyer must then use the court eviction process. If the buyer accepts rent or gives no move-out notice within 30 days of the sale, the buyer becomes the landlord. ORS 90.367, 90.310, 86.782(6)-(10) |
City rules that may add to state law
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More California rental law
- California Security Deposit Law
- California Eviction Laws
- California Notice to Vacate Rules
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- California Repairs & Tenant Remedies
- California Rent Increase & Late Fee Laws
- Breaking a Lease in California
- Squatters' Rights in California
- California Rental Fee Rules
- California Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
- California Mold, Pests, Heat & AC Rules
- California Privacy, Guests & Animal Rules
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- California Subletting, Lease Endings & Tenant Death
- All California landlord-tenant rules
- Free legal help in California
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California Landlord Selling the House FAQ
What happens to my lease if my landlord sells the house in California?
If a landlord voluntarily sells the rental, the tenants' rights do not change: a tenant with a lease can stay to the end of it on the same terms, and a new owner can end a month-to-month tenancy only as the law allows (just cause may be required under the Tenant Protection Act or local rules). The selling landlord must either transfer the deposits (less lawful deductions) to the buyer or return them to the tenants with an itemized statement, and must notify each tenant in writing, by first-class mail or personal delivery, of the transfer, any deductions, the amount transferred, and the new landlord's name, address and phone number. If the seller does neither, both the seller and the new landlord are responsible for the deposits, and the new landlord may not charge current tenants a new deposit just to make up for deposits it failed to get from the seller. (Cal. Dept. of Real Estate, California Tenants: A Guide to Residential Tenants' and Landlords' Rights and Responsibilities (2026 ed.))
What are tenants' rights in a foreclosure in California?
When a rental is sold at foreclosure, a month-to-month or periodic tenant must get 90 days' written notice to quit before being removed. A tenant with a fixed-term lease signed before the sale may stay until the lease ends, and the lease survives the sale. The new owner may end it early with 90 days' notice only if: the buyer will live in the unit as a primary residence; the tenant is the borrower or the borrower's spouse, child or parent; the lease was not an arm's-length deal; or the rent is far below market (unless subsidized). The buyer must prove that an exception applies. Local just-cause ordinances still apply. When a sale is noticed, the trustee must post on the property, and mail to 'Resident', a statutory notice telling tenants about these rights. (Cal. Code Civ. Proc. § 1161b; Cal. Civ. Code § 2924.8)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.