Can My Landlord Refuse My Rent?

If you've received a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit and you pay the full amount it demands within the deadline, that generally cures the nonpayment the notice is based on — so the landlord can't evict on that notice.

But a landlord can usually refuse a partial payment, because paying only part of what the notice demands doesn't cure it. And after certain no-fault notice periods (like a 60-day notice) have run, a landlord may decline to keep taking rent because they've moved to end the tenancy. Because accepting rent can sometimes waive a notice, a landlord's choice to accept or refuse is often deliberate. If a landlord refuses money you're trying to pay, keep a clear record of what you tried to pay, when, and how.

A Few Things Worth Knowing

• Full, timely payment of the amount properly demanded generally cures the notice.
• Partial payments generally can be refused and do not cure a notice.
• Keep proof of any attempt to pay — the date, the amount, and the method.