Riverside County, CA Rental Property Rules: No-Fault Evictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Relocation amount
- One month rent
- Waiver option
- Last month free
- Notice deadline
- Fifteen days to pay
- Statute
- Civil Code 1946.2(d)
Summary
Under AB 1482, Riverside County landlords removing covered tenants for no-fault reasons such as owner move-in, withdrawal from the rental market, or substantial remodel must provide one month of rent as relocation assistance or waive the final month of rent.
(b) For purposes of this section, 'just cause' means either of the following: [...] (2) No-fault just cause, which means any of the following: (A)(i) Intent to occupy the residential real property by the owner or the owner's spouse, domestic partner, children, grandchildren, parents, or grandparents for a minimum of 12 continuous months as that person's primary residence. [...] (B) Withdrawal of the residential real property from the rental market. (C)(i) The owner complying with any of the following: (I) An order issued by a government agency or court relating to habitability that necessitates vacating the residential real property. (II) An order issued by a government agency or court to vacate the residential real property. (III) A local ordinance that necessitates vacating the residential real property. [...] (D)(i) Intent to demolish or to substantially remodel the residential real property. [...] (d)(1) For a tenancy for which just cause is required to terminate the tenancy under subdivision (a), if an owner of residential real property issues a termination notice based on a no-fault just cause described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the owner shall, regardless of the tenant's income, at the owner's option, do one of the following: (A) Assist the tenant to relocate by providing a direct payment to the tenant as described in paragraph (3). (B) Waive in writing the payment of rent for the final month of the tenancy, prior to the rent becoming due. [...] (3)(A) The amount of relocation assistance or rent waiver shall be equal to one month of the tenant's rent that was in effect when the owner issued the notice to terminate the tenancy. Any relocation assistance shall be provided within 15 calendar days of service of the notice.
Full Breakdown
California Civil Code 1946.2(d) lists the only valid no-fault grounds for ending a covered tenancy: owner or family-member move-in, withdrawal from the rental market under the Ellis Act, government-ordered closure, or a substantial remodel that requires the unit to be vacant for at least thirty days. The landlord must serve a written notice citing the specific reason and either pay one month of the tenant's current rent within fifteen days of the notice or waive the final month of rent in writing. Riverside County itself does not impose additional local relocation amounts in unincorporated areas, but cities like Palm Springs do.
Violations & Fines
Failure to pay relocation assistance voids the eviction notice and can trigger statutory damages of three times the rent plus attorney's fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the landlord deduct relocation pay from the deposit?
Does owner move-in qualify as no-fault?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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