Cal. Civ. Code § 89-8-9
Obligation to act in good faith.
Operative Text
Every duty under this chapter and every act which must be performed as a condition precedent to the exercise of a right or remedy under this chapter, including the landlord’s termination of a tenancy or the nonrenewal of a rental agreement or the removal of a tenant from the premises, imposes an obligation of good faith in its performance or enforcement. History Laws, 1991, ch. 478, § 5, eff from and after July 1, 1991; Laws, 2022, ch. 501, § 24, eff from and after passage (approved April 21, 2022).
Under Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-9, every duty and every condition that must be met before exercising a right or remedy under Mississippi's residential landlord-tenant chapter — including ending a tenancy, declining to renew a lease, or removing a tenant from a property — must be carried out in good faith. Good faith applies to both the performance of obligations and their enforcement, meaning neither party may act dishonestly or with an improper motive when fulfilling or invoking the chapter's requirements. This provision functions as a baseline standard of honest dealing that runs through all actions taken under the chapter.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-9 means that compliant operators approach every duty under Mississippi's landlord-tenant chapter — including lease non-renewals, termination notices, and removal proceedings — with honest intent and a legitimate purpose. Property managers generally document their reasons for significant decisions, such as ending a tenancy, so that the good-faith basis for those actions is clear and demonstrable. Operators who act with improper motives or pretextual justifications risk having their actions challenged as violations of this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Miss. Code Ann. § 89-8-9 establishes that a landlord's actions — such as terminating a lease, refusing to renew a rental agreement, or seeking to remove a tenant — must be grounded in good faith, not arbitrary or retaliatory motives. Tenants who believe a landlord has acted in bad faith in carrying out one of these actions may be able to raise that as a defense in a legal proceeding or pursue remedies available under the chapter. Tenant-rights organizations in Mississippi can help renters understand how the good-faith obligation applies to their circumstances and what general options exist under the chapter.
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 30, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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