Can I be evicted for the illegal acts of my guests?

Question:

I use a regular babysitter whom I thought was completely reliable. My landlord just told me that her boyfriend, who apparently joins her after I've left, was observed selling what looked like drugs from our apartment! The landlord has given me a termination notice, which lists "engaging in illegal activity" as the reason for the termination. I had no idea this was happening -- can I really be evicted?

Answer:

Using a rental for illegal purposes is always a proper ground for eviction. And as unfair as it seems, your landlord can probably successfully evict you even though you were unaware of the situation. From the landlord's point of view, you failed to properly choose or monitor your babysitter, and there's no rule that requires giving you a second chance.

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