Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521 § 521-72
Landlord's remedies for improper use.
Operative Text
(a) If the tenant breaches any rule authorized under section 521-52, the landlord may notify the tenant in writing of the tenant's breach. The notice shall specify the time, not less than ten days, within which the tenant is required to remedy the breach and shall be in substantially the following form: "(Name and address of tenant) (date) You are hereby notified that you have failed to perform according to the following rule: (specify rule allegedly breached) Be informed that if you (continue violating) (again violate) this rule after (a date not less than ten days after this notice), the landlord may terminate the rental agreement and sue for possession of your dwelling unit." No allowance of time to remedy the breach of any rule authorized under section 521-52 shall be required when the breach by the tenant causes or threatens to cause damage to any person or constitutes a violation of section 521-51(1) or (6). (b) If the breach complained of continues or recurs after the date specified in the notice, the landlord may bring a summary proceeding for possession within thirty days after such continued or recurring breach. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1; am L 1976, c 90, §7; am L 1983, c 146, §2; gen ch 1985]
Hawaii Revised Statutes § 521-72 establishes a process landlords must follow when a tenant violates a rule that was properly adopted under § 521-52. In most cases, the landlord must give written notice specifying the rule that was broken and allow at least ten days for the tenant to correct the problem before any termination action can proceed. An exception removes the notice-and-cure period when the breach causes or threatens harm to a person or involves certain prohibited conduct under § 521-51(1) or (6). If the violation continues or happens again after the notice period, the landlord has thirty days from that continued or recurring breach to file a summary proceeding for possession.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 521-72, a compliant operator who identifies a rule violation generally issues a written notice that names the specific rule breached, sets a cure deadline of at least ten days, and uses language substantially matching the statutory form. Operators typically track whether the violation is remedied within the notice period and, if it continues or recurs, act within the thirty-day window to file a summary proceeding for possession if they choose to pursue that remedy. When a breach causes or threatens physical harm to a person, or falls under § 521-51(1) or (6), the ten-day cure period is not required before proceeding.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 521-72 gives tenants the right to receive written notice and at least ten days to fix most rule violations before a landlord can move toward terminating the rental agreement. Tenants who receive such a notice may want to document any corrective steps they take within the specified timeframe, as evidence of compliance can be relevant if a summary possession proceeding is later filed. Tenants who believe a notice was improperly issued or that the underlying rule was not validly adopted under § 521-52 may find it useful to contact a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid office to understand available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 23, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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