What is a typical first step in dealing with a holdover tenant (tenant at sufferance)?

Study for the Burk Baker National Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations to prepare effectively. Get ready for your exam!

When a tenant stays beyond the end of the lease without a new agreement, the landlord’s first move is to issue a notice to vacate (often called a holdover or quit notice) that complies with local law. This formal notice communicates that the tenancy has ended and that the tenant must leave by a specified date. It starts the legal timeline for eviction if the tenant does not vacate and helps prevent accidentally creating a new tenancy, such as a periodic tenancy, by clarifying that the prior agreement has ended.

Concluding a new leasing agreement would imply continuing the tenancy, which isn’t the typical first step when dealing with a holdover. Ignoring the situation doesn’t address the occupancy and could lead to further legal and financial complications. The shift to a periodic tenancy can occur only under specific circumstances, such as when rent is accepted after the term ends, so it isn’t the initiating action.