Your step-by-step guide to evicting a problem tenant in California Sooner or later, nearly every residential landlord has to evict a tenant for nonpayment of rent, property damage, an illegal sublet (including Airbnb), or another violation of the lease or the law. You don't always need to hire a lawyer, but you do need reliable information, particularly if your property is under rent control. Here, you'll find all of the forms you need...