In Alabama, a landlord cannot evict a tenant during a lease term without a specific legal reason (cause). However, once a lease has expired or if the tenancy is “at-will,” a landlord can terminate the agreement for no reason, provided they follow the notice requirements of the Alabama Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (Ala. Code § 35-9A-441).
Termination Without Cause
If there is no lease violation, the landlord must provide written notice to terminate the tenancy before filing for eviction in court:
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Month-to-Month: The landlord must provide at least 30 days’ written notice before the periodic rental date.
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Week-to-Week: The landlord must provide at least 7 days’ written notice.
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Fixed-Term Lease: If the lease has a specific end date, it generally expires automatically without notice, unless the lease terms require it.
Termination With Cause
If the tenant has violated the lease, the notice period is significantly shorter under Ala. Code § 35-9A-421:
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Nonpayment of Rent: 7 business days to pay or vacate.
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Lease Violations: 7 business days to fix (cure) the issue or vacate.
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Illegal Activity: 7 calendar days to vacate (no right to fix the issue).
The information for this answer was found on our Alabama Eviction Process answers.