Landlord Tenant – Lease Termination – New Mexico

Breach of agreement by resident and relief by owner.

A.  Except as provided in the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act [47-8-1 to 47-8-51 NMSA 1978], if there is noncompliance with Section 47-8-22 NMSA 1978 materially affecting health and safety or upon the initial material noncompliance by the resident with the rental agreement or any separate agreement, the owner shall deliver a written notice to the resident specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach, including the dates and specific facts describing the nature of the alleged breach, and stating that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than seven days after receipt of the notice if the breach is not remedied in seven  days.
B.  Upon the second material noncompliance with the rental agreement or any separate agreement by the resident, within six months of the initial breach, the owner shall deliver a written notice to the resident specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach, including the dates and specific facts describing the nature of the alleged breach, and stating that the rental agreement shall terminate upon a date not less than seven days after receipt of the notice. If the subsequent breach occurs more than six months after the initial breach, it shall constitute an initial breach for purposes of applying the provisions of this section.
C.  The initial notice provided in this section shall state that the rental agreement will terminate upon the second material noncompliance with the rental agreement or any separate agreement by the resident, within six months of the initial breach. To be effective, any notice pursuant to this subsection shall be given within thirty days of the breach or knowledge thereof.
D.  If rent is unpaid when due and the resident fails to pay rent within three days after written notice from the owner of nonpayment and his intention to terminate the rental agreement, the owner may terminate the rental agreement and the resident shall immediately deliver possession of the dwelling unit; provided that tender of the full amount due, in the manner stated in the notice, prior to the expiration of the three-day notice shall bar any action for nonpayment of rent.
E.  In any court action for possession for nonpayment of rent or other charges where the resident disputes the amount owed because:

(1) the resident has abated rent pursuant to Section 47-8-27.2 or 47-8-4 NMSA 1978;  or
(2) the owner has allocated rent paid by the resident as payment for damages to the premises, then, if the owner is the prevailing party, the court shall enter a writ of restitution conditioned upon the right of the resident to remedy within three days of entry of judgment. If the resident has satisfied the judgment within three days, the writ shall be dismissed. If the resident has not satisfied the judgment within three days, the owner may execute upon the writ without further order of the court.

F.  Except as provided in the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act, the owner may recover damages and obtain injunctive or other relief for any noncompliance by the resident with the rental agreement or this section or Section 47-8-22 NMSA 1978.
G.  In a judicial action to enforce a remedy for which prior written notice is required, relief may be granted based only upon the grounds set forth in the written notice served; provided, however, that this shall not bar a defendant from raising any and all defenses or counterclaims for which written notice is not otherwise required by the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act.
H.  When the last day for remedying any breach pursuant to written notice required  under the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act occurs on a weekend or federal  holiday, the period to remedy shall be extended until the next day that is not a weekend or federal holiday.
I.  If the resident knowingly commits or consents to another person in the dwelling unit or on the premises knowingly committing a substantial violation, the owner shall deliver a written notice to the resident specifying the time, place and nature of the act constituting the substantial violation and that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than three days after receipt of the notice.
J.  In any action for possession under Subsection I of this section, it shall be a defense that the resident is a victim of domestic violence. If the resident has filed for or secured a temporary domestic violence restraining order as a result of the incident that is the basis for the termination notice or as a result of a prior incident, the writ of restitution shall not issue. In all other cases where domestic violence is raised as a defense, the court shall have the discretion to evict the resident accused of the violation, while allowing the tenancy of the remainder of the residents to continue undisturbed.
K.  In any action for possession under Subsection I of this section, it shall be a defense that the resident did not know of, and could not have reasonably known of or prevented, the commission of a substantial violation by any other person in the dwelling unit or on the premises.
L.  In an action for possession under Subsection I of this section, it shall be a defense that the resident took reasonable and lawful actions in defense of himself, others or his property.
M.  In any action for possession under Subsection I of this section, if the court finds that the action was frivolous or brought in bad faith, the petitioner shall be subject to a civil penalty equal to two times the amount of the monthly rent, plus damages and costs.  Title 47, Art. 8, §47-8-33.

Notice of termination and damages.

A.  The owner or the resident may terminate a week-to-week residency by a written notice given to the other at least seven days prior to the termination date specified in the notice.
B.  The owner or the resident may terminate a month-to-month residency by a written notice given to the other at least thirty days prior to the periodic rental date specified in the notice.
C.  If the resident remains in possession without the owner’s consent after expiration of the term of the rental agreement or its termination, the owner may bring an action for possession and if the resident’s holdover is willful and not in good faith the owner, in addition, may recover the damages sustained by him and reasonable attorney’s fees. If the owner consents to the resident’s continued occupancy, Subsection C of Section 15 [47-8-15 NMSA 1978] of the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act applies.  Title 47, Art. 8, §47-8-37.

Service of notice.

A.  A person has notice of a fact if:

(1) he has actual knowledge of it;
(2) he has received a notice or notification of it; or
(3) from all facts and circumstances known to him at the time in question he has reason to know that it exists.

B.  A person notifies or gives a notice or notification to another by taking steps reasonably calculated to inform the other in ordinary course, whether or not the other actually comes to know of it.
C.  A person receives a notice or notification:

(1) when it comes to his attention;
(2) where written notice to the owner is required, when it is mailed or otherwise delivered at the place of business of the owner through which the rental agreement was made or at any place held out by him as the place for receipt of the communication; or
(3) if written notice to the resident is required, when it is delivered in hand to the resident or mailed to him at the place held out by him as the place for receipt of the communication, or in the absence of such designation, to his last known place of residence.

D.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, notice to a resident for nonpayment of rent shall be effective only when hand delivered or mailed to the resident or posted on an exterior door of the dwelling unit.  In all other cases where written notice to the resident is required, even if there is a notice by posting, there must also be a mailing of the notice by first class mail or hand delivery of the notice to the resident.  The date of a posting shall be included in any notice posted, mailed or hand delivered, and shall constitute the effective date of the notice.  A posted notice shall be affixed to a door by taping all sides or placed in a fixture or receptacle designed for notices or mail.
E.  Notice, knowledge or a notice or notification received by the resident or person is effective for a particular transaction from the time it is brought to the attention of the resident or person conducting that transaction, and in any event from the time it would have been brought to the resident’s or person’s attention if the resident or person had exercised reasonable diligence.
F.  Where service of notice is required under the Uniform Owner-Resident Relations Act [47-8-1 to 47-8-51 NMSA 1978], and the item is mailed but returned as undeliverable, or where the last known address is the vacated dwelling unit, the owner shall serve at least one additional notice if an alternative address has been provided to the owner by the resident.  Title 47, Art. 8, §47-8-13.