questions & answers

Question: my landlord woulf not except my rent said cuz i was selling drugs. 1 week later he came and said i could stay but i have to pay another 550 plus the rent i told him it was sat. and banks are closed. he told me go tho the atm. i said i cant and on monday when i get home from work at 4 i wouyld bring it. monday morning he comes knocking i told him we agreed at 4. then he goes off saying he needed the money now. banks were not even open yet. i again told him we agreed at four. he started ranting and raving 2 days later i get evction papers.with my room mates name and not mine

Answer: Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, the “unlawful manufacturing, selling, transferring, possessing, using, or storing of a controlled substance” by a tenant is grounds for a landlord to notify the tenant in writing of the immediate termination of the rental agreement (A.R.S. 33-1368(A)(2)) and file for an eviction (special detainer action) in court. If you were, in fact, selling drugs on the premises, then in principle it will be difficult for you to prevent the eviction. However, if your landlord threatened to evict you unless you gave him an additional payment, unrelated to your rent, it is possible that he too was breaking the law.