Vacating 'HOME ALONE' Tenants in Default & Breach? (LA)

[Neil G.]

Los Angeles county duplex, owner occupied, not rentcontrolled nor subsidized.

Family of 4 (mother, her 2 working daughters, and mother's male friend) in the rental unit on a month-to-month who moved in just months ago under m2m written agreement, notified were moving out due to financial hardship thus their security deposit (1 month) covered Nov 15-Dec 14 (they were broke and I was abroad) but then they didnt move and instead paid the rent  for Dec 15 - Jan 14  on Dec 24 right before i left for the holidays and family crosscountry ( were $200 short).

I am in the process of relocating (commuter job, and soon, home in/near the new town) as it is and need to sort things out  ASAP now that they are $200 past due, with no security deposit left, as well as are in breach as neighbors left and right have complained of suspected drug (meth) activity, trucks blocking the sidewalk all day and all night, as well as dog feces. Despite my telling them the house was being sold once I got back, while i was away they brought 3 huuuge water tanks (500gals each!) and a 2nd quad (recreational motor vehicle?) into the backyard without my permission (i allowed 1 quad and one 250gal water talk already, only) and was shocked cuz it was like the house had suddenly been turned into a 'meth house' to quote one neighbor, over the holidays, esp with the 2 dogs' feces everywhere, all over my veggie garden, etc.. everything.

What is applicable here and what is the best course of action? 3 days to quit? Do I have do specify any reason? As it is, they haven't paid Jan 15-Feb 14th yet and dont think I can put up with another month of this anyway now that I'm back to just pack up and I already have a buyer who saw the place before they moved in and recently made a decent offer, that wants to close in a month but would be great if my last month here is in peace not sudden hell.. what hurts the most is I had no idea drugs were involved; its like I came back to a totally transformed family of clones or crisis actors or somethin! i'm bangin my head on the wall now for letting their security deposit get used for the month before last but it was the holidays, i was distracted by my own relocation in the works, plus thought they were  already one foot out the door just needed the final push but now both/all feet back in =L

[Kyle J.]

If I understand your post correctly, you have month-to-month tenants who haven't paid rent in full and who you want out anyway. If that's an accurate summary, then you should serve them a 3-day pay or quit notice AND a 30-day notice advising them that you are ending the tenancy. (That way even if they pay the remaining money due per the 3-day pay or quit notice, you can still terminate the tenancy after the 30 days.)

As to your question about whether you have to give them a reason, in the 3-day pay or quit notice you do (the reason is they haven't paid the rent in full), but in the 30-day notice you do not.