Court Opinion

ID: 9569274
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 20:12:15.494976+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:52:36.634394
License: Public Domain

Carley, Judge,
dissenting.
I cannot agree with the majority’s determination that the “eviction and subsequent reentry and possession of the premises by the landlord terminates the lease.” This conclusion ignores the teaching of the Supreme Court’s decision in Metro Mgt. Co. v. Parker, 247 Ga. 625 (278 SE2d 643) (1981). In Metro Mgt. Co., the Supreme Court reversed the judgment of this Court holding that a termination by the landlord of the lease was a condition precedent to regaining possession of the premises through a dispossessory proceeding even when the basis for eviction was nonpayment of rent. The Supreme Court held that “[i]f the ground for dispossession is that the tenant is a holdover, there is a requirement for termination of the lease simply to place the tenant in the status of a holdover. Where this requirement for termination exists, it must occur prior to the demand for possession. If the ground for dispossession is non-payment of rent, [OCGA § 44-7-50] provides that a landlord may make a demand for possession when the tenant ‘shall fail to pay the rent when the same shall become due.’ This right exists apart from any right the landlord may *469have under a lease to terminate the lease for non-payment of rent. The statute does not impose a requirement that the landlord terminate the lease before instituting dispossessory proceedings where he does so solely on the basis of non-payment of rent. Rather, a close reading of Chapter [44-7] indicates that the intent of the legislature was to provide a landlord with a means to regain possession of premises from a tenant who fails to make timely payment of rent. Failure to pay rent is a separate ground from that of holding over beyond the term. It may exist during the term.” (Emphasis in original in part and supplied in part.) Metro Mgt. Co. v. Parker, supra, 630.
To the extent that the language in W. James Wilson & Assoc. v. Kelley, 143 Ga. App. 271, 272 (238 SE2d 270) (1977) could be construed to hold that eviction always terminates the lease even when eviction is based upon non-payment of rent, it must yield to the Supreme Court’s decision in Metro Mgt. Co. v. Parker. In this case, the dispossessory proceeding was brought because of default in making payments of rental reserved under the lease. When construed in light of the rationale of Metro Mgt. Co., the language of paragraph 24 (b) of the lease agreement clearly authorizes the landlord to “regain the premises” without terminating the lease. Thus, the landlord is entitled to seek the enforcement of the defaulting tenant’s obligation to pay the rental reserved during the remainder of the term less credit for rent received as a result of any subsequent lease to a third party. I would affirm the judgment of the trial court.