[CA] My landlord is evicting me even though I signed a stipulation agreement. What can I do?

Lexi, Chatbot

I’m sorry to hear about your situation. Can you tell me more about the stipulation agreement you signed with your landlord?

Lexi, Chatbot

Have you been given a reason for the eviction despite having a signed agreement in place?

Lexi, Chatbot

Is there anything else the landlord-tenant lawyer should know before I connect you? Rest assured they’ll be able to help with your eviction issue.

Jon

My name is Jon, and I'm here to assist you as an attorney.

I understand that dealing with legal issues can be stressful and confusing. Don’t worry — I’m here to help and hope to provide you with a solution to your problem.

Was this a stipulation from a prior court case, or just between you privately?

Jon

Ok, and what state do you live in?

Jon

Understood! I think I have all the information I need, but is there anything else you’d like to add before I get started on your answer? If not, I’ll start working on a response for you right away.

Jon

Got it. Just give me a few minutes to finish typing out a full reply for you — it won’t be too long.

Jon

When you sign a stipulation agreement during an eviction case and the court approves it, it becomes a legally binding contract that both you and your landlord must follow.

These agreements usually spell out exactly what needs to happen to settle the eviction. If you were complying — making payments toward your back rent, legal fees, and regular rent — and your landlord still caused problems, that’s a major red flag.

What’s especially concerning is that your landlord reportedly refused to accept your last stipulation payment and then served you with a 5-day notice to vacate without first giving you the required notice to pay or quit. That’s not how the process is supposed to work.

Normally, if a landlord thinks you broke the agreement, they have to give you formal notice explaining what the issue is and give you a chance to fix it before moving forward with eviction. Skipping directly to a 5-day notice violates proper legal procedure.

Also, just to clarify — in California, a landlord cannot legally evict you without a court order. (CA Civ Code § 1946.2(d)(2)) A notice by itself doesn’t grant the landlord authority to remove you. If they try to change the locks or physically remove you without a judge’s order, that’s considered an illegal eviction.

Jon

Given everything you’ve described, it’s critical to get legal help immediately. Try to contact a tenant rights attorney or legal aid organization in California as soon as possible. They can review your stipulation agreement, assess your landlord’s actions, and advise you on next steps.

In the meantime, document everything — every conversation, payment (or attempted payment), notices you received, and any proof that your landlord refused your payment. Keep copies of every document.

You can find a reliable attorney through Avvo.com, or, if you’re on a tight budget, search for your local county legal aid office — many offer free services.

Depending on what your attorney finds, you may be able to go back to court to enforce the stipulation agreement and show that your landlord violated it by refusing payment. If your landlord continues this behavior, you may even have a wrongful eviction claim.

Know your rights — California has strong tenant protections, including rules against retaliatory evictions and “just cause” requirements in many areas. (CA Civil Code § 1946.2(h))

Jon

It’s possible, yes — but you need to act immediately and get legal help as soon as possible.

Jon

Great — if you act fast, you may be able to stop this before it escalates further.