A notice to pay rent or quit—also known as an eviction notice or notice to vacate due to late rent—is a written letter demanding a tenant who is late paying rent (1) pay the rent by a certain date or (2) quit (leave or vacate) the premises.
In North Carolina, a 'notice to pay rent or quit' is a formal communication from a landlord to a tenant who is behind on rent. This notice demands that the tenant either pay the overdue rent by a specified deadline or vacate the rental property. The specific requirements for this notice, including the time frame given to the tenant to pay or vacate, are governed by North Carolina state statutes. Under North Carolina General Statute § 42-3, a landlord must typically provide a tenant with a 10-day notice to pay the rent or vacate before initiating formal eviction proceedings. If the tenant fails to comply with the notice, the landlord may then file a summary ejectment action in court to obtain a legal order for eviction. It's important for both landlords and tenants to understand that this process is regulated by law and that landlords must follow the proper legal procedures to evict a tenant for nonpayment of rent.