Cal. Civ. Code § 535.090
Complaint, contents — proof of trial
Operative Text
It shall be sufficient for such person purchasing lands or tenements to file a complaint, pursuant to section 535.070, verified by affidavit, stating by whom the premises were leased or rented, and the terms of such lease or renting, and how such person claims title to the lands or tenements; and upon the trial of the cause, if the plaintiff shows that the party in possession, or those under whom the party in possession claims, rented or leased from a party claiming title to the premises by deed, and that the plaintiff has acquired the title of the original lessor or landlord, by a deed or deeds, regularly acknowledged, the plaintiff shall be entitled to recover possession and unpaid rent accruing after the transfer and while the tenant was in possession.
Missouri Revised Statutes § 535.090 establishes what a person who has purchased real property must include in a complaint to recover possession from a tenant: the identity of the original lessor, the lease terms, and how the purchaser acquired title. At trial, if the plaintiff can show a chain of title from the original landlord to themselves through properly acknowledged deeds, and that the tenant held under that original landlord, the court may award the plaintiff both possession of the property and any unpaid rent that accrued after the title transfer while the tenant remained in possession. This provision essentially allows a new property owner to step into the shoes of the prior landlord for purposes of an eviction or possession action.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.090, a property owner who has purchased land or tenements and needs to pursue a possession action should ensure their complaint—filed pursuant to § 535.070 and verified by affidavit—clearly identifies the original lessor, describes the lease terms, and explains the chain of title. Compliant operators typically maintain organized records of all deeds (each properly acknowledged) connecting the original landlord's title to their own, since that chain of title is central to establishing the right to recover both possession and post-transfer unpaid rent at trial. Keeping thorough documentation of rent payments and any arrears that arose after the property transfer is also a standard practice for operators relying on this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 535.090 governs what a plaintiff-purchaser must prove to obtain possession and unpaid rent in a Missouri court proceeding, which means a tenant facing such an action has the right to examine whether the plaintiff has actually established a proper chain of title through duly acknowledged deeds and correctly identified the original lease relationship. If the plaintiff's complaint or evidence fails to meet the requirements set out in § 535.090—such as missing deed acknowledgments or an incomplete account of the lease terms—a tenant may be able to raise those deficiencies as part of their defense in the proceeding. Tenants in this situation may benefit from consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office familiar with Missouri landlord-tenant law to understand what options are available to them.
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 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation