Constructive eviction occurs when the landlord fails to provide essential services to the tenant, and the tenant moves out. Which condition best describes this situation?

• A. When the landlord fails to provide essential services to the tenant, and the tenant moves out
• B. When the tenant moves out due to relocation
• C. When the landlord files eviction for nonpayment
• D. When the tenant refuses to pay rent

Answer: (A)

Constructive eviction happens when the landlord’s failure to keep the property habitable—providing essential services like heat, water, or electricity—renders the dwelling uninhabitable, so the tenant is compelled to move out. The scenario described fits perfectly because the landlord’s breach of those essential services creates conditions that force abandonment, allowing the tenant to terminate the lease and seek remedies. This hinges on the implied covenant of habitability and usually requires the issue to be substantial and persistent, with the tenant giving reasonable notice and time to cure (if applicable in the jurisdiction). The other situations involve either a tenant relocating on their own, a formal eviction for nonpayment, or a tenant refusing to pay rent—none of which capture the landlord’s failure to provide essential services that makes living there impossible.