Cal. Civ. Code § 11A
Termination of lease for nonpayment of rent
Operative Text
Section 11A. Upon the neglect or refusal by the tenant to pay the rent due under a written lease of premises for other than dwelling purposes, the landlord shall be entitled to terminate the lease either (i) in accordance with the provisions of the lease or (ii) in the absence of such lease provisions, by at least fourteen days notice to quit, given in writing to the tenant. If a landlord terminates the lease by at least fourteen days notice pursuant to clause (ii) of the preceding sentence, the tenant shall be entitled to cure on or before the day the answer is due in any action by the landlord to recover possession of the premises, by paying or tendering to the landlord or to his attorney all rent then due, with interest and costs of such action. The rights to cure provided herein, shall apply only to termination pursuant to clause (ii) and shall not apply to termination in accordance with the provisions of the lease.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 11A governs how a landlord may end a written lease for non-dwelling (commercial) property when a tenant fails to pay rent. Termination can follow either the lease's own procedures or, if the lease is silent on the matter, a written notice to quit of at least fourteen days. When the fourteen-day statutory notice route is used, the tenant retains a right to cure the default—by paying all overdue rent plus interest and costs—no later than the date an answer would be due in any eviction action the landlord files.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 11A, operators of commercial properties generally review their lease agreements first to determine whether a termination-for-nonpayment procedure is already spelled out, since that contractual path governs if it exists. When the lease contains no such procedure, a compliant landlord typically delivers a written notice to quit of at least fourteen days before pursuing possession. Landlords should be aware that choosing the statutory fourteen-day notice route—rather than a lease-based procedure—preserves the tenant's right to cure through the answer deadline in any subsequent eviction proceeding, which can affect the timeline and outcome of that process.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mass. Gen. Laws c. 186 § 11A applies to commercial (non-dwelling) leases and provides tenants with a meaningful protection when a landlord uses the statutory fourteen-day written notice to quit rather than a lease-based termination procedure. In that circumstance, a tenant has the right to cure the nonpayment—by tendering all rent owed along with interest and any court costs—on or before the day an answer is due in an eviction action. Tenants who receive a notice to quit for nonpayment of commercial rent may benefit from reviewing their lease terms and consulting a tenant-rights organization or attorney to understand which termination path applies and what options may be available under § 11A.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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