Can my landlord refuse to renew my lease without cause under AB 1482?

What the Law Says

AB 1482 (the Tenant Protection Act of 2019) imposes rent caps and just-cause eviction requirements — but it does not require landlords to renew leases. Refusing to renew is legally permitted, even for units covered by the law.

AB 1482 applies to most residential rental units built more than 15 years ago (i.e., completed before 2006) and containing two or more units. It limits annual rent increases to 5% plus CPI (capped at 10%) and requires 'just cause' for evictions — but only when the tenant is *already in possession* and the landlord seeks to terminate tenancy.

Crucially, the law does not create a right to lease renewal. When a fixed-term lease expires, the landlord may choose not to offer a new lease — and that decision is not subject to AB 1482’s just-cause or rent cap rules.

If the tenant remains in the unit after lease expiration with the landlord’s consent, a month-to-month tenancy is created — and *then* AB 1482’s just-cause protections apply to any termination.

Statutory Text

This section shall not be construed to require a property owner to enter into a rental agreement or to renew a rental agreement.

— Civil Code § 1946.2(e) — Tenant Protection Act of 2019, s. 1946.2(e)

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