When can a landlord begin eviction proceedings against a tenant?

A landlord can initiate eviction proceedings against a tenant when the tenant breaks the lease agreement. This breaking of the lease may involve various violations, such as failing to pay rent on time, causing damage to the property, engaging in illegal activities, or any other breach of the terms outlined in the lease. When a tenant fails to uphold their responsibilities as per the lease, the landlord has the right to seek legal recourse to regain possession of the property.

In the context of the other options, situations like having paid the lease in full or making continuous late payments do not provide the landlord with grounds for eviction unless they explicitly violate terms of the lease. A decrease in property value is unrelated to a tenant’s behavior and does not justify eviction. Therefore, the most direct and clear cause for a landlord to begin the eviction process is when the tenant breaks the lease agreement.