An eviction notice, or notice to quit, is sent by a landlord to notify a tenant of a lease violation. It grants the tenant a specified number (#) of days to cure the issue or vacate the property. If the tenant decides to leave, they will likely be liable for unpaid rent until the landlord re-rents the property.

Your landlord can't evict you without terminating the tenancy first. This usually means giving you adequate written notice in a manner that complies with state law. If you don't move or fix ("cure") the problem that prompted the notice, the landlord can file a lawsuit to evict you.

Eviction is a process built on written notices and court filings. Notices and other written correspondence between a landlord and tenant form the critical paper trail to show cause for an eviction. The thing is, sending a notice for unpaid rent, or other lease violation, may not result in an eviction.