§ 33-361 — Violation of lease by tenant; right of landlord to reenter; summary action for recovery of premises; appeal; lien for unpaid rent; enforcement; notice and pleading requirements

A. When a tenant neglects or refuses to pay rent when due and in arrears for five days, or when a tenant violates any provision of the lease, the landlord or person to whom the rent is due, or the agent of the landlord or person to whom the rent is due, may reenter and take possession or, without formal demand or reentry, commence an action for recovery of possession of the premises.

B. The action shall be commenced, conducted and governed as provided for actions for forcible entry or detainer and shall be tried not less than five nor more than thirty days after its commencement. In addition to determining the right to actual possession, the court may assess damages, attorney fees and costs pursuant to section 12-1178.

C. If judgment is given for the plaintiff, the defendant, in order to perfect an appeal, shall file a bond with the court in an amount fixed and approved by the court and payable to the clerk of the superior court, conditioned that the appellant will prosecute the appeal to effect and will pay the rental value of the premises pending the appeal and all damages, attorney fees, costs and rent adjudged against the appellant.

D. If the tenant refuses or fails to pay rent owing and due, the landlord shall have a lien on and may seize as much personal property of the tenant located on the premises and not exempted by law as is necessary to secure payment of the rent. If the rent is not paid and satisfied within sixty days after seizure as provided for in this section, the landlord may sell the seized personal property in the manner provided by section 33-1023.

E. When premises are sublet or the lease is assigned, the landlord shall have a like lien against the sublessee or assignee as the landlord has against the tenant and may enforce it in the same manner.

F. Notwithstanding any other law, an agency of this state and an individual court may not adopt or enforce a rule or policy that requires a mandatory or technical form for providing notice or for pleadings in an action for forcible entry or forcible or special detainer. The form of any notice or pleading that meets statutory requirements for content and formatting of a notice or pleading is sufficient to provide notice and to pursue an action for forcible entry or forcible or special detainer.