Landlord-Tenant Glossary

Plain-English definitions of the legal terms renters and landlords run into, from unlawful detainer to writ of possession. State-specific rules are on each state page.

Abandoned property · Answer · Assistance animal · Cash for keys · Constructive eviction · Default judgment · Detainer warrant · Dispossessory · Fair market rent (FMR) · Forcible entry and detainer (FED) · Habitability · Holdover tenant · Housing Choice Voucher · Implied warranty of habitability · Itemized statement · Just cause eviction · Lease · Lockout · Month-to-month tenancy · Normal wear and tear · Notice to pay or quit · Notice to quit · Quiet enjoyment · Rent control / rent stabilization · Rent escrow · Repair and deduct · Retaliation · Right to counsel · Security deposit · Self-help eviction · Source of income protection · Squatter · Sublease · Summary possession · Tenancy at will · Unlawful detainer · Writ of possession / writ of restitution

Abandoned property: Belongings a tenant leaves behind after moving out or being evicted. Many states require written notice and a storage period before a landlord may sell or discard them.
Answer: The tenant's formal response to an eviction lawsuit. Some courts require a written answer by a deadline; others only require the tenant to appear at the hearing.
Assistance animal: A service animal or emotional support animal that a person with a disability needs. Under the federal Fair Housing Act, landlords generally must allow them as a reasonable accommodation even with a no-pets rule.
Cash for keys: An agreement where a landlord pays a tenant to move out by a set date instead of going through a full eviction case.
Constructive eviction: When a landlord's actions or failure to make serious repairs make a home unlivable, so the tenant is effectively forced out. In many states it can let a tenant end the lease.
Default judgment: A court ruling against a party who does not respond or show up. In eviction cases, tenants who miss the hearing usually lose by default.
Detainer warrant: The name used in some states (such as Tennessee) for the court papers that start an eviction case.
Dispossessory: Georgia's term for an eviction case; the landlord files a dispossessory affidavit in magistrate court.
Fair market rent (FMR): HUD's yearly estimate of typical rent in an area, used to set Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) payment levels.
Forcible entry and detainer (FED): The legal name for an eviction case in many states, such as Arizona, Colorado and Oregon.
Habitability: The legal requirement that rental housing be fit to live in: safe structure, working heat, plumbing and electricity, and compliance with health and building codes.
Holdover tenant: A tenant who stays after the lease ends. Depending on the state and whether rent is accepted, the tenancy may continue month to month or the landlord may file to evict.
Housing Choice Voucher: The federal Section 8 program that pays part of a low-income tenant's rent directly to a private landlord.
Implied warranty of habitability: A habitability duty courts read into every residential lease even when the lease doesn't say it.
Itemized statement: The written list of deductions a landlord must give when keeping part of a security deposit, in most states.
Just cause eviction: A rule that allows a landlord to end a tenancy only for reasons listed in the law, such as nonpayment or a serious lease violation. Some states and many cities have it.
Lease: A rental agreement, written or oral, that sets the rent, the term and the rules for a tenancy.
Lockout: When a landlord changes the locks or blocks a tenant from the home without a court order. It is illegal in virtually every state.
Month-to-month tenancy: A tenancy with no fixed end date that renews each month until one side gives proper written notice.
Normal wear and tear: The ordinary decline of a unit from everyday use, such as faded paint or light carpet wear. Landlords generally can't deduct for it from a deposit.
Notice to pay or quit: A written notice telling a tenant to pay overdue rent by a deadline or move out. It is usually the first step in a nonpayment eviction.
Notice to quit: A written notice that a tenancy is ending and the tenant must leave by a certain date.
Quiet enjoyment: A tenant's right to use and enjoy the home without unreasonable interference by the landlord.
Rent control / rent stabilization: Local or state laws that limit how much and how often rent can rise. Many states prohibit it; some cities and a few states have it.
Rent escrow: A process in some states where the tenant pays rent to a court or escrow account, instead of the landlord, until required repairs are made.
Repair and deduct: A remedy in some states letting a tenant fix a serious problem after notice and subtract the cost from rent, within set limits.
Retaliation: A landlord raising rent, cutting services or evicting because a tenant complained about conditions or used a legal right. Most states prohibit it.
Right to counsel: A guarantee that eligible tenants facing eviction get a free lawyer. Some states and cities provide it.
Security deposit: Money a tenant pays at move-in to cover unpaid rent or damage beyond normal wear and tear. It still belongs to the tenant, subject to allowed deductions.
Self-help eviction: A landlord trying to force a tenant out without a court order, for example by lockout or shutting off utilities. It is illegal in virtually every state.
Source of income protection: A fair-housing rule that bars landlords from refusing tenants because they pay with vouchers or other lawful income.
Squatter: Someone who occupies property without ever having the owner's permission. A tenant who stopped paying is not a squatter.
Sublease: When a tenant rents all or part of the unit to someone else. Many leases require the landlord's consent.
Summary possession: Hawaii's term for an eviction case; also used generally for the fast court process to regain possession.
Tenancy at will: A tenancy with no fixed term that either side can end with notice set by state law.
Unlawful detainer: The legal name for an eviction case in many states, including California, Virginia and Washington.
Writ of possession / writ of restitution: The court order, issued after the landlord wins, that lets a sheriff or other officer remove the tenant.

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.