Lease dictionary
Constructive eviction
When conditions get so bad the law treats it as if the landlord evicted you.
Constructive eviction happens when a landlord makes the home unlivable - no heat all winter, sewage backups ignored for months, harassment - and you move out because of it. The law treats it like an eviction, which can end your obligation to pay rent going forward.
The bar is high: the problem must be serious, the landlord must have been notified and given time to fix it, and you generally must actually move out within a reasonable time.
Watch out
Document everything before you leave - dated photos, written complaints, replies. Leaving without a paper trail can turn constructive eviction into 'tenant broke the lease.'
See it in action
The Maintenance request letter puts this term to work for you.