Contract trap · Lease
Landlord exits free, tenant locked in
The landlord can end the term early 'for any reason' on 7-30 days' notice, 'in the event of sale', 'if the landlord requires the property' or out of court, while the tenant has no break right; the lease is deliberately kept under one year (RU: 11 months) or month-to-month so renewal preference, registration and other statutory protections do not apply.
- Severity
- Serious
- How often it turns up
- Common
- Holds up?
- Often void
- Clause phrases
- 24
What it looks like in a contract
Redline matches these phrases against your document verbatim. Drafters rarely invent new wording — they copy it, which is why the same sentences turn up across unrelated contracts.
In English-language contracts
- landlord may terminate this lease at any time
- on 30 days' notice for any reason
- break clause exercisable by the landlord only
- tenant may not terminate
- in the event of sale of the property this lease shall terminate
- at landlord's sole option
- vacate upon demand
- if the landlord requires the property for own use
- month-to-month
- tenancy at will
- eleven months
- no right of renewal
In Russian-language contracts
- Наймодатель вправе расторгнуть договор в одностороннем порядке
- во внесудебном порядке
- уведомив Нанимателя за 7 дней
- при продаже квартиры договор прекращается
- освободить помещение по первому требованию
- в случае необходимости личного проживания Наймодателя
- Наниматель не вправе расторгнуть договор досрочно
- договор прекращается при смене собственника
- на срок 11 месяцев
- краткосрочный наём
- не применяются положения статей 684-686
- преимущественное право на заключение договора на новый срок не предоставляется
Check your own contract
Paste a clause, a page or the whole document. Nothing leaves your browser: the matching runs here, on this page, against the phrases above.
Why it bites
The tenant carries a full-term commitment and exit penalties while the landlord keeps a free option; forced moves cost deposits and disruption; 'при продаже договор прекращается' contradicts the Civil Code but tenants comply; RU ст. 683 п. 2 removes преимущественное право and other rights for краткосрочный наём, and the 11-month habit exists mainly to avoid registration.
Is it enforceable where you are
The same clause can be routine in one country and void in another. What follows is what the law says where you are — not advice on your particular contract.
In the US, deposit deadlines and entry notice are set state by state; in England and Wales the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the deposit protection schemes apply, and in the EU national tenancy law sits on top of Directive 93/13.
United States
Fixed-term leases bind both sides; landlord convenience-termination clauses are enforceable if clear but eviction still requires court process; sale does not terminate a lease unless the lease says so; month-to-month tenancies are terminable on 30-90 days' statutory notice; just-cause ordinances (CA AB 1482, OR, NJ, some cities) restrict landlord termination.
- Cited
- AB 1482
European Union
93/13 Annex 1(f)/(g); Germany: landlord terminates only for legitimate interest (BGB 573) with 3-9 months' notice, 'Kauf bricht nicht Miete' (566), fixed terms only with statutory reason (575); France: congé only at term end for sale/own use with 6 months' notice (loi 89-462 art 15), minimum 3-year/1-year terms (arts 10, 25-7).
- Cited
- 93/13 Annex 1(f)/(g)
- BGB 573
- loi 89-462 art 15
United Kingdom
OFT/CMA: landlord-only break clauses and 'immediately determine' wording are unfair (CRA 2015 Sch 2 paras 7-8); possession only via court; Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolishes s.21 no-fault evictions and fixed terms — landlord needs a statutory ground (sale/own-use with 4 months' notice, not within the first 12 months), so the structure no longer strips rights.
- Cited
- CMA
- CRA 2015 Sch 2 paras 7-8
- Renters' Rights Act 2025
Russia
ГК ст. 687 п. 2 — наймодатель расторгает только в судебном порядке и по перечисленным основаниям; ст. 675 — переход права собственности не влечёт расторжения, новый собственник становится наймодателем; ст. 683 п. 2 — к договору до 1 года не применяются ст. 677 п. 2, 680, 684-686, абз. 4 п. 2 ст. 687, если договором не предусмотрено иное; ст. 674 п. 2 — договор ≥1 года регистрируется как обременение.
- Cited
- ГК ст. 687 п. 2
- ст. 674 п. 2
- ст. 675
- ст. 677 п. 2
- ст. 683 п. 2
Where this has actually happened
Regulator actions, court rulings and the contracts they were fought over.
- OFT356 (2005) unfair example: 'The landlord may bring the tenancy to an end at any time before the expiry of the fixed term... by giving to the tenant at least two months' written notice'
- ГК РФ ст. 675 (сохранение договора найма при переходе права собственности), ст. 687 п. 2 (расторжение по требованию наймодателя только в судебном порядке) и ст. 683 п. 2 (исключения для краткосрочного найма)
- Renters' Rights Act 2025 (UK): abolition of fixed-term assured tenancies and s.21 evictions
What to do
In order, from the thing that takes a minute to the thing that takes a letter.
- Make break rights mutual with equal notice or delete the landlord's early break
- State that sale does not end the tenancy and the buyer steps in (RU: ссылка на ст. 675 ГК)
- If you want stability ask for a term ≥12 months (RU: с регистрацией обременения, ст. 674 п. 2) or add back excluded rights expressly («к договору применяются ст. 684-686 ГК»)
- Do not move out on such a clause without a court order or compensation.
Traps that travel with it
Drafters who use one of these usually use several.