A plain glossary

39 terms

Answer

The written response a tenant files in court after an eviction case is served. Most courts set a deadline for it, and missing that deadline commonly leads to a default judgment.

Assignment

Transferring the whole remaining lease to someone else, so they take the tenant's place. Different from a sublet, and usually requires the landlord's permission.

Cash for keys

An offer of money in exchange for moving out voluntarily and giving up possession. It is a contract; what it gives up depends on how it is written.

Code enforcement

The city or county office that inspects buildings against the local housing code and can issue notices to a property owner. A free route that runs independently of court.

Constructive eviction

A legal concept in some states where conditions become so bad that a tenant is treated as having been forced out. Whether it exists and what it requires is state-specific.

Cure

Fixing the problem a notice complains about — paying what is claimed, removing a pet, ending a violation. Some notices allow a cure period; some do not.

Default judgment

A judgment entered because one side did not respond or appear. In eviction cases this usually means the tenant loses without being heard.

Dispossessory

The name for an eviction proceeding in some states, including Georgia.

Escrow

Paying rent to a third party or the court rather than the landlord, under a process some states provide when repairs are not made. Where it exists it has strict conditions.

Fair housing

The body of law prohibiting housing discrimination. Federal law covers a set of protected classes; states and cities frequently add more.

Forcible entry and detainer (FED)

The name for an eviction case in some states, including Oregon and Colorado.

Habitability, implied warranty of

The duty recognized in most states for a landlord to keep a rental fit to live in. What it covers comes from state law and local housing code.

Holdover

Staying past the end of a tenancy. How it is treated — and what it converts the tenancy into — is set by state law.

Itemized statement

A written list of what was deducted from a security deposit and why. Most states require one, on a timeline set by state law.

Joint and several liability

A lease term making each co-tenant responsible for the whole rent, not just their share.

Just cause

A requirement, usually local, that a landlord state an allowed reason to end a tenancy. Where it exists, the list of allowed reasons is set by the ordinance.

Legal aid

Nonprofit organizations providing free civil legal help to people who qualify. Housing is one of their largest practice areas. Find yours through LawHelp.org.

Lodger

Someone renting a room, often in an owner-occupied home, sometimes under narrower rules than a tenant. The distinction is state-specific and matters a great deal.

Lockout

A landlord excluding a tenant by changing locks, removing doors, or removing belongings. Handled separately from the court eviction process in most states, and treated urgently.

Month-to-month tenancy

A tenancy that renews each period rather than running for a fixed term. Rules for changing rent or ending it are set by state law.

Notice to quit

A written notice that a landlord wants the tenancy to end. Names differ by state; so do required contents and periods.

Ordinary wear and tear

Deterioration from normal use, which generally cannot be charged against a deposit. Where the line falls between wear and damage is state- and fact-specific.

Pro se

Appearing in court without a lawyer. Common in eviction and small-claims cases; court self-help centers exist partly for this.

Protected class

A characteristic that discrimination law covers. The federal list is a floor; states and cities frequently add categories such as source of income.

Quiet enjoyment

The general right to use a rental without unreasonable interference by the landlord. Its content comes from state law and the lease.

Reasonable accommodation

A change in a rule, policy, or service that a person with a disability may request under fair housing law. A related concept, reasonable modification, covers physical changes.

Rent stabilization / rent control

Local programs limiting rent increases for covered units. They exist in a minority of U.S. cities and coverage is usually narrower than people expect.

Retaliation

Landlord action taken because a tenant complained, reported conditions, or asserted a right. Many states address it; the scope and timing rules differ.

Security deposit

Money held against unpaid rent or damage. Caps, permitted deductions, and return deadlines are set by state law.

Self-help eviction

A landlord removing a tenant without the court process. In most states this is handled separately and seriously; if it is happening, it is urgent.

Service of process

The formal delivery of court papers. States set rules about how it must be done, which is why recording how a document arrived matters.

Small claims court

A simplified court for lower-value disputes, designed for people without lawyers. Deposit cases are among its most common uses. Limits and deadlines are set by state and county.

Stipulation

A written agreement filed with a court that settles or pauses a case, often on conditions. It is binding; what it gives up depends on its terms.

Sublet

Renting all or part of a unit from the tenant rather than the owner. The subtenant's relationship is usually with that tenant, which changes which protections apply.

Summary proceeding

A faster court process used for possession cases in some states, including New York. Speed is the point, which is why response deadlines are short.

Tenant screening report

A consumer report used to evaluate rental applicants. Federal fair credit reporting law reaches these, including rights to see and dispute them.

Unlawful detainer

The name for an eviction case in some states, including California and Washington.

Voucher (Housing Choice / Section 8)

A federal rental subsidy administered by a local housing authority. Program rules apply on top of state landlord–tenant law.

Writ of possession

The court order authorizing an officer to carry out a removal after a landlord wins an eviction case. Names and timing differ by state.

Last reviewed 8 September 2026. Legal information, not legal advice. Not a law firm. hello@renterprotection.org