Montana Code Annotated 1999

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     70-27-108. Unlawful detainer defined. A tenant of real property or mining claim, for a term less than life, is guilty of unlawful detainer:
     (1) when he continues in possession, in person or by subtenant, of the property or any part thereof after the expiration of the term for which it is let to him without the permission of the landlord or the successor in estate of his landlord, if any there be, but in case of a tenancy at will, it must first be terminated by notice, as prescribed in 70-27-104;
     (2) where he continues in possession, in person or by subtenant, without permission of his landlord or the successor in estate of his landlord, if any there be, after default in the payment of rent, pursuant to the lease or agreement under which the property is held, and 3 days' notice in writing requiring its payment, stating the amount which is due, or possession of the property shall have been served upon him and, if there be a subtenant in actual occupation of the premises, also upon such subtenant. Such notice may be served at any time within 1 year after the rent becomes due. In all cases of tenancy upon agricultural lands where the tenant has held over and retained possession for more than 60 days after the expiration of his term without any demand of possession or notice to quit by the landlord or the successor in estate of his landlord, if any there be, he shall be deemed to be holding by permission of the landlord or the successor in estate of his landlord and shall be entitled to hold under the terms of the lease for another full year and shall not be guilty of an unlawful detainer during said year, and such holding over for the period aforesaid shall be taken and construed as a consent on the part of a tenant to hold for another year;
     (3) when he continues in possession, in person or by subtenant, after a neglect or failure to perform other conditions or covenants of the lease or agreement under which the property is held, including any covenant not to assign or sublet, than the one for the payment of rent, and 3 days' notice in writing, requiring the performance of such conditions or covenants or the possession of the property, shall have been served upon him and, if there be a subtenant in actual occupation of the premises, also upon such subtenant. Within 3 days after the serving of the notice, the tenant or any subtenant in actual occupation of the premises or any mortgagee of the term or other person interested in its continuance may perform the conditions or covenants of the lease or pay the stipulated rent, as the case may be, and thereby save the lease from forfeiture. If the covenants and conditions of the lease violated by the lessee cannot afterward be performed, then no notice, as last prescribed herein, need be given to said lessee or his subtenant demanding the performance of the violated covenant or conditions of the lease. A tenant may take proceedings similar to those prescribed in this chapter to obtain possession of the premises let to an undertenant in case of his unlawful detention of the premises underlet to him. Any tenant or subtenant assigning or subletting or committing waste upon the demised premises contrary to the covenants of his lease thereby terminates the lease, and the landlord or his successor in estate shall, upon service of 3 days' notice to quit upon the person or persons in possession, be entitled to restitution of possession of such demised premises under the provisions of this chapter.

     History: En. Sec. 658, p. 174, Bannack Stat.; re-en. Sec. 647, p. 165, Cod. Stat. 1871; re-en. Sec. 707, 1st Div. Rev. Stat. 1879; re-en. Sec. 727, 1st Div. Comp. Stat. 1887; en. Sec. 2082, C. Civ. Proc. 1895; re-en. Sec. 7271, Rev. C. 1907; re-en. Sec. 9889, R.C.M. 1921; Cal. C. Civ. Proc. Sec. 1161; re-en. Sec. 9889, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 93-9703.

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