You Bought a Perris House With Tenants. Now What? - 951 Evictions

Quick answer: In Perris, buying an occupied house makes you the tenants’ new landlord. The lease survives the sale. If the tenants have lived there 12 months or more, AB 1482 just-cause rules usually carry over, so you can end the tenancy only for a lawful reason, with proper notice, and with one month’s rent in relocation assistance for no-fault reasons such as moving in yourself.

The Lease Came With the House

A sale transfers the property, not the tenancy’s ending. Whatever lease or month-to-month arrangement the seller had becomes yours, along with its rent, due date, and any obligations the seller took on. You cannot rewrite those terms because the deed now has your name on it, and you cannot treat the closing date as a move-out date. What you can do is learn exactly what you inherited and plan from there. Buyers who skip that step tend to discover side deals and missing paperwork at the worst possible time: in front of a judge.

Ask for Estoppel Certificates Before You Close

An estoppel certificate is a short statement, signed by the tenant, confirming the key facts of the tenancy. Once signed, it makes it much harder for the tenant to claim different terms later. A useful certificate confirms:

• The names of everyone on the lease, and who else lives in the home.
• Whether the tenancy is fixed-term or month-to-month, and the original move-in date.
• The current rent, the due date, and whether any rent has been prepaid.
• The security deposit amount and who is holding it.
• Any promises outside the written lease, such as repairs, rent concessions, or permission for pets.
• Whether the tenant believes the landlord is in default on anything.

Many residential leases do not require tenants to sign one, so cooperation varies. Ask through the seller during escrow, while the seller still has an incentive to help.

AB 1482 Follows the Tenancy, Not the Owner

A common misunderstanding among Perris investors is that a sale resets the clock. It does not. AB 1482’s just-cause protection applies once a tenant has 12 months of occupancy, and that time counts from the tenant’s original move-in, not from your closing date. A tenant who moved in long before you bought is likely covered on day one. Rent increases are capped at 5% plus regional CPI per 12 months, never more than 10% in total. A single-family home owned by an individual can be exempt only if the required exemption notice is in the lease. If the seller was a corporation, or the lease lacks the notice, do not assume you can paste one in mid-tenancy. Get advice first. Our guide to just-cause evictions under AB 1482 covers the full list of lawful reasons.

Bought at a Foreclosure Auction vs. Bought on the MLS

How you acquired the house changes what you know and what notice applies. An MLS purchase lets you review leases and ledgers in escrow, request estoppels, and make the deal contingent on what you find. If you want the house delivered vacant, that is the seller’s job, and it must be done through lawful notices before closing, not a handshake in escrow. A trustee-sale purchase is sight unseen. You may find the former owner still living there, who can generally be served a 3-day notice to quit once title is perfected, or a bona fide tenant who is owed at least 90 days’ notice or the rest of a pre-sale lease. Auction buyers should price in the time and cost of sorting out occupants before they bid.

Getting the House Back Lawfully in Perris

If you need possession, follow the sequence the law requires:

1. Confirm whether AB 1482 covers the tenancy and, if so, identify a qualifying just cause such as owner move-in, nonpayment, or a material lease breach.
2. Serve the right notice: a 3-day notice for nonpayment or a curable breach, or for a no-fault termination, 30 days if the tenancy is under a year or 60 days under Civil Code 1946.1 if it is a year or longer.
3. For no-fault terminations on covered units, provide relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent, or waive the final month’s rent, and follow SB 567’s stricter owner move-in rules.
4. If the tenant stays, file an unlawful detainer in Riverside County Superior Court. Perris cases are typically heard at the Menifee Justice Center, 27401 Menifee Center Dr, Menifee 92584. Confirm venue at riverside.courts.ca.gov.
5. Budget for the complaint fee, which is $270 for demands of $10,000 or less under the schedule effective January 1, 2026, plus $40 for the writ of possession and the sheriff’s lockout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I raise the rent right after buying a Perris rental?

Only within the limits that already applied to the tenancy. If AB 1482 covers it, increases are capped at 5% plus regional CPI per 12 months, never above 10%, and an increase of 10% or less requires 30 days’ written notice. A fixed-term lease generally locks the rent until it expires. Buying the property does not reset the rent to market.

Can I move into a Perris house I bought with tenants in it?

Often yes, through an owner move-in termination, which is a no-fault just cause under AB 1482. SB 567 added good-faith and documentation requirements, so the intent must be genuine. You will owe relocation assistance equal to one month’s rent, or a final-month waiver, and the correct 30- or 60-day notice based on how long the tenant has lived there.

Who is responsible for the tenant’s security deposit after the sale?

California expects the seller either to transfer the deposit to the buyer, with notice to the tenant, or to return it to the tenant less lawful deductions. If that does not happen in escrow, the buyer can still end up answerable for the deposit when the tenant moves out. Confirm the amount and get it credited at closing.

Does selling a house end the tenant’s lease?

No. A sale does not terminate a lease or a month-to-month tenancy in California. The buyer steps into the seller’s role as landlord, subject to the existing terms. Ending the tenancy afterward requires a lawful reason where AB 1482 applies, the correct written notice, and, if the tenant does not leave, an unlawful detainer judgment and a sheriff lockout.

Start Your Ownership on Solid Ground

951 Evictions helps landlords across Riverside and San Bernardino counties handle the process from start to finish, from reviewing whether a tenancy is covered to serving notices and seeing the case through the sheriff lockout. Visit our Perris eviction services page, or contact us for a quote.

This article is general information for California landlords, not legal advice. For advice on a specific situation, consult a California landlord-tenant attorney.