The law protects tenants from evictions, rent increases, and other penalties a landlord might impose out of retaliation. Most often, this occurs after a tenant files a complaint or other action against the landlord. If you decide to evict a tenant, raise the rent, or terminate a lease, you must be prepared to prove it is not in retaliation for the tenant’s actions.

What is considered retaliatory action? If your tenant files a complaint through proper channels about your lack of maintenance or a code violation, you may not raise their rent, break their lease, or evict them. You may not threaten eviction or reduce services, either.

If you do decide to evict a tenant for legitimate reasons, such as severe property damage, non-payment or continual late payment of rent, or illegal activity, you must prove that your reason is legal. The law assumes a tenant who has filed a complaint and subsequently is evicted is being treated illegally. You cannot punish a tenant for exercising their rights under the law.

The reality is that once a tenant files a legal complaint, it becomes more difficult to later evict them, even with just cause. The best practice is to prevent such complaints with regular inspection schedules, proper maintenance, and good communication. In addition, prescreening tenants and checking references will be good clues as to their rental habits and history—before you enter a legal agreement to lease your property.