Is this where you are?
Months of unpaid rent and the tenant won't leave
You have asked repeatedly and the tenant keeps stalling. You want the unit back lawfully, but a defective notice or a miscounted deadline can get the case dismissed and send you back to the start.
The lease has ended or you want to move in
The unit may be covered by the Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482) or local rent control. After a certain period of occupancy, ending the tenancy requires a just cause and may require relocation assistance.
An ADU, garage conversion, or rented room
A backyard unit, converted garage, or a room in your home, and the relationship has soured. Which rules apply depends on the type of housing, whether you live there, and local requirements.
A commercial tenant in default
A store or restaurant tenant is behind on rent, left early, or disputes repairs, CAM charges, or renewal terms. Commercial leases turn mainly on the contract, and many residential tenant protections do not apply.
Tenant: your deposit was kept
More than 21 days have passed since you moved out with no refund and no itemized statement, or the landlord charged ordinary wear and tear as damage.
Tenant: repairs ignored, or you were locked out
Leaks, mold, no heat or hot water despite repeated requests. Or the landlord changed the locks, cut off utilities, or removed your belongings.
What we handle
Chinese-language leases, texts, and WeChat messages are organized and translated into English for use as evidence.
Notices, drafted and served
3-Day Notice to Pay Rent or Quit, 3-day notice to perform covenants or quit, 30/60/90-day termination notices, and any local filings or attachments.
Unlawful detainer for landlords
Filing, service, default judgment or trial, then the writ of possession and coordination with the sheriff.
Eviction defense for tenants
A timely answer, review of the notice and procedure for defects, and negotiation for more move-out time, reduced arrears, or settlement.
Unpaid rent and damages
Back rent claimed within the eviction case, collection of rent and damages after move-out, and enforcement of the judgment.
Commercial lease disputes
Rent defaults, lease breaches, early termination, and rent-relief or settlement negotiations, and suits filed or defended when needed.
Security deposit disputes
For tenants, recovery of deposits not returned or wrongly withheld. For landlords, documenting deductions with photos and receipts and responding to claims.
Habitability and illegal eviction
Repair and habitability claims for tenants, and claims arising from lockouts, utility shutoffs, and other self-help evictions.
California landlord-tenant essentials
These are general state rules. Local ordinances in the City of Los Angeles, LA County, Pasadena, and elsewhere can be stricter.
- 3-day notice: weekends and court holidays don't count：Before filing for unpaid rent, a landlord must serve a written 3-day notice to pay rent or quit. Since September 1, 2019, the 3 days exclude Saturdays, Sundays, and court holidays (CCP §1161(2)). A residential notice should generally demand only the rent itself; adding late fees or utilities can sink the case.
- Termination notices: 30, 60, or 90 days：To end a month-to-month tenancy, a landlord generally gives 30 days' written notice if the tenant has lived there under 1 year and 60 days if 1 year or more (Civil Code §1946.1). Government-subsidized tenancies such as Section 8 usually require 90 days (§1954.535). Units covered by AB 1482 or local law also need a just cause.
- AB 1482: just cause and the rent cap：Once a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied for 12 months, termination requires just cause. For no-fault reasons such as owner move-in or substantial remodel, the landlord must pay one month's rent in relocation assistance or waive the final month (Civil Code §1946.2). Increases over 12 months are capped at 5% plus regional CPI, or 10%, whichever is lower (§1947.12). Housing built within the last 15 years, owner-occupied duplexes, and properly noticed single-family homes or condos owned by individuals are generally exempt. Both sections run until January 1, 2030.
- Los Angeles rules go further：The City of LA Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) covers most rentals of 2 or more units with a certificate of occupancy on or before October 1, 1978; most newer units fall under the Just Cause Ordinance (JCO). For RSO and JCO units, termination notices must be filed with LAHD within 3 business days of service, and a tenant cannot be evicted for nonpayment unless the arrears exceed one month of fair market rent. In unincorporated LA County, the threshold rose to two months of fair market rent on April 16, 2026. Pasadena has its own rent control.
- Unlawful detainer timing：For complaints served on or after January 1, 2025, the tenant has 10 court days, excluding weekends and court holidays, to respond (CCP §1167, AB 2347). If no response is filed, the landlord may seek a default. If the tenant answers, trial must be held within 20 days of a request to set it (§1170.5). The California courts say evictions can take 30 to 45 days or more.
- Only the sheriff can remove a tenant：After judgment, the court issues a writ of possession. The sheriff serves or posts a 5-day notice to vacate and removes the occupants if they are still there (CCP §715.010). Changing locks, cutting utilities, removing doors or windows, or taking a tenant's belongings is illegal, with statutory damages of up to $100 per day and at least $250 per cause of action, plus actual damages (Civil Code §789.3).
- Deposits: one month, returned in 21 days：For residential deposits taken on or after July 1, 2024, the cap is generally one month's rent. A landlord who is a natural person, or an LLC whose members are all natural persons, and who owns no more than 2 residential rental properties with no more than 4 units in total may take up to two months, except from service members. Within 21 days after move-out, the landlord must refund the deposit or send an itemized statement, with receipts if deductions exceed $125. Move-out photos are required from April 1, 2025, and move-in photos for tenancies beginning on or after July 1, 2025. Bad-faith retention can cost up to twice the deposit in statutory damages (Civil Code §1950.5).
How it works with us
We review your documents
Send the lease, rent records, texts and WeChat messages, and photos. We organize Chinese-language material and translate it into English.
We confirm which rules apply
Whether AB 1482, the RSO, or another local ordinance covers the unit, how long the tenant has been there, and how the notice must be written, served, and filed.
Notice or demand letter
For landlords, we draft and arrange service of the notice. For tenants, a demand letter for the deposit or repairs often comes first. Many disputes resolve at this stage.
Filing or answering
If the notice period passes without resolution, we file the unlawful detainer for the landlord. For a tenant who is sued, we file the answer within the 10 court days. We calendar every deadline and send a written update every two weeks.
Mediation, settlement, or trial
Many cases settle before trial with an agreed move-out date and a payment plan for back rent. If not, we prepare for trial.
Enforcing the judgment
For landlords, we obtain the writ of possession and coordinate with the sheriff. A money judgment for rent or damages can then be enforced.
Related results
Landlord-tenant matters we have handled, with client details removed.
Eviction: Judgment Won, Property Recovered and Back Rent Awarded
Judgment won · Property recovered and back rent awarded
Commercial Lease Dispute: 90% Reduction, Final Payment Far Below the Landlord's Original Demand
90% reduction · Final payment far below the landlord's original demand
Fees
Hourly
The rate and an estimate are set out in writing at engagement, with a monthly itemized invoice showing the work done and the time spent.
Fixed fee by stage
Demand letter, notice plus unlawful detainer filing, answer, or a motion can each be priced as a fixed fee, so you know the cost before each stage starts.
Contingency or hybrid
For select collection matters with a defined amount owed and a defendant able to pay, we may agree to a contingency fee or a mix of hourly and contingency after review.
- The fee arrangement and scope of representation are set out in a written engagement agreement.
- Court filing fees, service costs, and sheriff fees are costs, not attorney fees; who advances them and how they are settled is stated in the engagement agreement.
- How much of a judgment is actually collected depends on the other side's assets.
Frequently asked questions
The following is general legal information and is not legal advice for any specific matter. For your situation, contact Lingtu Law APC at 415-547-9999 or on WeChat at lingtulaw.
