[PART I. 
GENERALLY]



 



Revision Note



 



  Part heading added by revisor.



 



§666-1  Summary possession on termination or
forfeiture of lease.  Whenever any lessee or tenant of any lands or
tenements, or any person holding under the lessee or tenant, holds possession
of lands or tenements without right, after the termination of the tenancy,
either by passage of time or by reason of any forfeiture, under the conditions
or covenants in a lease, or, if a tenant by parol, by a notice to quit of at
least ten days, the person entitled to the premises may be restored to the
possession thereof in manner hereinafter provided. [CC 1859, §939; am L 1864, p
14; RL 1925, §2778; RL 1935, §4013; RL 1945, §10401; RL 1955, §240-1; HRS
§666-1; am L 1972, c 90, §8(a)]



 



Cross References



 



  Acceptance of rent during litigation, see §666-5.



  Jurisdiction of district court, see §§604-5, 666-6.



 



Rules of Court



 



  Raising of dispute as to title in summary possession action,
requisites, see DCRCP rule 12.1.



 



Case Notes



 



  Statutory remedy not exclusive but is cumulative with
ejectment.  3 H. 127; 26 H. 661, 664.  Pendency of prior action of ejectment
not ground for abatement of subsequent summary possession action between same
parties.  11 H. 416.



  Lessor desiring to oust tenant for nonpayment of rent must
pursue proper legal procedure or run risk of liability.  5 H. 548. 
Requirements for surrender of lease by operation of law.  9 H. 384.  Surrender
of lease by written document, when effective.  45 H. 445, 370 P.2d 463.



  Holdover without protest after notice of increased rent.  30
H. 29.



  Forfeiture of lease -- waiver of right of, estoppel to
enforce; relief against.  44 H. 543, 353 P.2d 379.



  Termination of month-to-month tenancy by the landlord and
award of possession to landlord by the court do not constitute impairment of
first amendment rights of the tenant, even if landlord is motivated by
landlord's disagreement with the actions and speech of tenant.  54 H. 417, 508
P.2d 1217.



  Pursuant to §521-3(b) in case of conflict between chapter 521
and this section, chapter 521 will control.  63 H. 110, 621 P.2d 971.



  Commercial landlord not precluded from self-help eviction for
nonpayment of rent.  67 H. 252, 686 P.2d 12.



  Section cannot be used by a tenant against a
landlord.  72 H. 117, 809 P.2d 1130.



  Where defendant licensee's license terminated on last day of
licensor's interest in property, on the following day, defendant was a
trespasser without right to possession; as such, defendant was not entitled to
any notice to vacate from landlord.  109 H. 296, 126 P.3d 339.



 



Jurisdiction.



  Only where relation of landlord and tenant confessedly
existed.  3 H. 768, 775-776; 4 H. 154, 157; 6 H. 407; 22 H. 129, 130; 24 H.
176; 24 H. 546, 555.  Denial of tenancy and setting up title hostile to
plaintiff's title oust jurisdiction of district magistrates.  4 H. 154,
157-158; 22 H. 129; 24 H. 176; 24 H. 546, 555.  In action to recover rent
tenant may in certain cases challenge landlord's title to land.  10 H. 289. 
Defendant may show relation of landlord and tenant has ceased to exist, and
that landlord's title has terminated; but, instant title comes into question,
jurisdiction of district court ceases.  21 H. 270, 273.  See 9 H. 225. 
Sufficiency of affidavit required by Sup. Ct. Rule 14 to support plea that
title to real property is involved.  18 H. 640; 23 H. 65; 29 H. 336; 30 H. 160.



 



Parties.



  Government may bring summary proceedings to recover
possession of crown land upon breach of covenant to pay rent.  18 H. 640. 
Vendee at foreclosure sale may bring summary proceedings where lease made
subject to mortgage and to be annulled upon foreclosure sale.  5 H. 98. 
Lessor's grantee may maintain action for summary possession upon a forfeiture
for breach of condition.  3 H. 274; 10 H. 408; 20 H. 712.  Summary proceedings
cannot be maintained by owner of undivided interest without alleging lessee is
not owner of other interest.  19 H. 65.  See also 22 H. 174.



  Mortgagee of lessee properly joined as codefendant when in
possession.  12 H. 291.



 



Forfeiture.



  Forfeiture clause strictly construed.  3 H. 127; 25 H. 253. 
Breach of covenant does not work a forfeiture unless lease contains provision
for forfeiture and re-entry.  26 H. 279.  Breach of condition subsequent in a
deed does not work a forfeiture but gives the grantor the right to declare a
forfeiture.  11 H. 330.  Acceptance of a lease from a stranger for a part or
the whole of the demised premises is ground for a forfeiture of the prior
lease.  13 H. 637.



 



Acceptance of rent.



  After knowledge of prior breach of condition is waiver of
right to forfeiture.  3 H. 274, 285; 5 H. 242; 10 H. 408; 25 H. 253, 263-265;
43 H. 281.  But where continuing covenants and continuing breaches, it operates
as waiver only up to time of such acceptance.  10 H. 408; 12 H. 291, 297-298. 
Waiver of forfeiture does not imply waiver of breach of covenant and vice
versa.  25 H. 253, 265.  Right to declare forfeiture for breach of covenant
against making alterations without consent and to pay taxes waived by
acceptance of rent with knowledge of breach.  25 H. 253, 263-265.



 



Conditions and covenants.



  Condition against subletting not broken by joint occupancy of
one room by physician as physician's office where lease was of land alone and
allowed tenant to remove buildings upon termination of lease.  3 H. 127.  Where
lessor has right to withdraw a portion from lease, refusal by lessee, after
notice, to part with possession is a breach and grounds for forfeiture and
landlord may proceed under this chapter.  24 H. 165.  Covenant to pay taxes,
water rates, and assessments includes assessments for street improvements and
failure to pay same constituted breach of covenant.  25 H. 178.  Covenant
requiring lessee to make such repairs as are required by law, not broken unless
such repairs are required by law.  25 H. 253, 256.  Covenant to repair or
replace, breached.  39 H. 448.  Lease prohibiting waste not breached by removal
of cactus in order to grow pineapples.  31 H. 720.  Covenant to repair not
breached where lease required tenant to repair all defects of which notice
should be given, within 30 days after such notice.  25 H. 253, 258.  Covenant
against assignment not broken by execution of mortgage covering leasehold
(where mortgagor retains possession).  26 H. 63, 64-66.  Assignment and
sublease distinguished.  26 H. 489.  Restrictions against assignments, not
favored and are liberally construed in favor of lessees.  26 H. 118, 120. 
Words "Permitted assigns" used in habendum clause held no restriction
against assignments.  26 H. 118.  "Renewal or Extension" construed. 
30 H. 871.  Covenant against cutting or destroying India and algaroba trees
except in case of necessity, permits removal of such trees for purpose of
locating a houselot, garden plots, cattle corrals, hog pens, and chicken runs. 
31 H. 720.  Covenant to deliver possession breached by sublessee's refusal to
quit and renders lessee liable to all damages occasioned therefrom.  30 H.
853.  For items of such damage, see 30 H. 853.  Original covenants no part of
lease for additional term, unless so stipulated.  3 H. 127, 139.  Government
leases -- liability of lessees, under covenant to pay taxes.  30 H. 334.  Under
the lease; lessor agreed to pay "the taxes levied on" and the lessees
"all other charges", held sewer rates are payable by lessees.  20 H.
335.



  In lease of dwellings, there is implied warranty of
habitability and fitness for use intended.  51 H. 426, 462 P.2d 470.  Implied
warranty of habitability applies to unfurnished as well as furnished
dwellings.  51 H. 473, 462 P.2d 482.



  Subleases and assignments; rights and liabilities of parties
for payment of rent.  51 H. 493, 464 P.2d 285.



 



Demand.



  For payment of taxes is not prerequisite to the right
to declare a forfeiture for their nonpayment.  15 H. 632; 21 H. 123, 127; 25 H.
253, 262.  Demand for rent before claiming a forfeiture may be waived in the
lease.  15 H. 632.



 



Notice.



  If forfeiture is to be enforced tenant is entitled to
notice.  13 H. 637.  Notice to quit essential if lease voidable at landlord's option. 
3 H. 127 and 274.  After 10 days' written notice to quit, tenant at will has no
further right to possession.  26 H. 661.



 



Relief against forfeiture.



  In absence of fraud, accident, mistake or surprise equity
will not relieve for breach of covenant to repair.  27 H. 812.  Equity will
relieve against forfeitures for nonpayment of rent.  See 1 H. 102; 6 H. 435; 10
H. 408, 411; 21 H. 123, 126.  Other grounds for relief.  25 H. 494, 502-503.



 



Issues and proof.



  Primary question is restoration of possession.  22 H. 129. 
Plaintiff must prove that relation of landlord and tenant exists or has existed
and that plaintiff is entitled to immediate possession.  21 H. 270, 273; 22 H.
739.



 



Defense.



  Equitable defenses.  19 H. 190, 191; 26 H. 642, 644-647.  Tenant
may show that subsequent to commencement of tenancy landlord's title passed to
another upon foreclosure of mortgage.  27 H. 631.



  Retaliatory eviction.  59 H. 104, 577 P.2d 326.



  Tenant may assert breach of implied warranty of habitability
as defense, when.  61 H. 144, 598 P.2d 161.



 



Damages.



  Measure of damages recoverable by owner for prospective
lessee's breach is excess of rent over fair market value.  56 H. 507, 542 P.2d
1265.



 



Recoupment.



  30 H. 434.



 



Generally.



  See 12 H. 291; 21 H. 270; 22 H. 129.



 



Cited.



  13 H. 385, 386; 37 H. 14, 15; 41 H. 124, 135.



 



Decisions under prior law.



  Distraint for rent under the Act of January 10, 1865
(CL 1897, §§1692, 1693), repealed by SL 1901, c 9, §15; 6 H. 666; 9 H. 14; 9 H.
685; 10 H. 366; 11 H. 506.