When you’ve got a written rental agreement there is a stated beginning and end date for the agreement. Terminating a rental agreement early is only allowed by law under certain conditions, which can be found in the state statutes and should be written into the rental agreement.
When a landlord can terminate early
There are limited reasons allowed for a landlord to terminate a rental agreement early in Oklahoma. The broadest reason is if the tenant or anyone on the premises with the consent of the tenant does not comply with the terms of the rental agreement. So, an example is if your rental agreement requires no smoking, and you determine that the tenant has been smoking in the unit. For any violation of the rental agreement a landlord will need to provide a written notice to the tenant that outlines the violation and requests that the violation be corrected. If a tenant is not truthful or forthcoming on the rental application, that is considered a misrepresentation of material facts, which is also a reason for the landlord to terminate a rental contract early.
The two other reasons cited in the Oklahoma statutes for early termination by a landlord include when the tenant doesn’t allow the landlord lawful access to the premises, and when the tenant fails to maintain the premises as per the stated maintenance obligations. These obligations should be listed in the rental agreement, and in Oklahoma can be found at 41 O.S. § 127.
