Define "retaliatory eviction."

Retaliatory eviction is defined as the act of terminating a tenant's lease or evicting a tenant in response to the tenant exercising their legal rights. This might occur, for example, when a tenant reports a landlord for inadequate maintenance or unsafe living conditions, or if they participate in a tenant union or other forms of collective action. Legally, such retaliatory actions by a landlord are generally prohibited because they can undermine the tenant's rights and discourage them from asserting their rights in the future.

This concept is rooted in tenant protection laws, which aim to prevent landlords from punishing tenants for asserting their legal rights or seeking remedies for issues affecting their tenancy. Understanding retaliatory eviction is crucial for both landlords and tenants to ensure that their actions remain within the legal framework designed to protect tenants and maintain fair landlord-tenant relationships.