Arms v. Rodriguez
Arms v. Rodriguez
Opinion of the Court
The defendant, Edward P. Rodriguez, is appealing from a judgment condemning him to vacate, without delay, the premises designated 2010-2012 St, Charles Avenue in New Orleans, and to deliver possession thereof to plaintiff, John F. Arms.
According to the record, on August 26, 1955, the defendant, who had been operating a business known as Butter Krisp Restaurant at the above address as owner of that property, executed a deed of sale of the said property to the plaintiff;
The factual basis for this action is that the defendant failed to pay, when due, the real estate taxes assessed by the City of New Orleans for the year 1956
The defendant contends that the action of the plaintiff in accepting rental payments for the months of April and May subsequent to the notice of violation alleged to have been given by letter of March 21st constituted a waiver of the notice, and as a consequence this action was premature, citing Canal Realty & Improvement Co., Inc., v. Pailet, 217 La. 376, 46 So.2d 303.
In the cited case it appears that the lessor on numerous occasions had notified the lessee, both verbally and in writing,
There is no substance to this argument for, according to their contract of lease, which is the law between the parties, if the violation complained of continued for a period of ten days after written notice thereof had been given to the lessee, “then the rent for the whole unexpired term of this lease shall * * * at once become due and exigible * * *.” The acceptance by the plaintiff of the two rent installments for the months of April and May constituted a waiver of the above provisions of the lease, placed there for his benefit and protection; and, as stated in the Canal Realty case, supra, constituted a forgiveness of all previously committed infractions and served to reinstate the lease as of that time. In other words, the lessor did not choose to take advantage of the contractual right that flowed to his benefit to have the rent for the whole unexpired term of this lease at once become due and exigible—in which event the lessor had the option to demand the entire amount at once or to immediately cancel the lease ■—but instead preferred to accept the rent in accordance with the lease, thereby forgiving the previous infractions.
Plaintiff’s argument that the additional provision in the lease;—“The receiving by Lessor, or Lessor’s representative of any rent in arrears, or after notice or institution of any suit for possession, or for cancellation of this lease, will not be considered as a waiver of such notice or suit, or of any of the rights of Lessor”— is controlling, does not impress us, for this clause clearly has no application to the facts under consideration here.
In any event, on the trial of the rule on the merits the plaintiff failed to prove that the defendant had received in writing, as provided by the lease, the required notice of the violation forming the basis of this suit—the defendant having denied receiving such a letter. The only proof adduced to support the allegation was a carbon copy of a letter dated March 21, 1956, addressed to the defendant at his place of business, sent by certified mail, with a return receipt indicating delivery. There was also introduced a copy of another letter to the defendant, of similar import and sent to the same address by the same method of delivery, bearing date April 25, 1956; and while the name “Mr. Edward P. Rodriguez” was written on the
For the reasons assigned the judgment appealed from is annulled and set aside, and plaintiff’s suit is dismissed at his cost.
. The consideration was $85,000, the defendant reserving an option to repurchase the said property for the price of $110,-000 cash at any time during the ten years following date of sale; but said option was to become null and void in event the lease was cancelled pursuant to any of its provisions.
. Under the City’s plan of payment, such taxes became due on January 1, 1956; they could be paid in two installments, half in January and half in July, but failure to pay the first installment before January 31, 1956, caused the entire bill to become due as of that date, and delinquent thereafter.
. On May 31, 1956, the plaintiff had paid the City taxes and the interest assessed because of delinquency; on June 1 the defendant paid the same taxes and interest, and caused plaintiff to be notified of the dual payment. In due course the plaintiff’s money was refunded by the Department of Finance.
. The letters were dated October 22, 1948, November 15, 1948, January 27, 1949, February 2, 1949, February 9, 1949, February 22, 1949, and March 2, 1949.
Concurring Opinion
(concurring).
I take no issue with the factual finding of the court that plaintiff has failed to prove that the defendant had received in writing, as provided by the lease, the required notice of the violation forming the basis of this suit and it is for this reason alone that I concur in the decree.
It appears to me that this resolution of fact should end the case and that the other ruling of the court, that the lessor waived the right to insist on cancellation of the lease by accepting rent for the months of April and May after he had notified lessee of his failure to comply with the provisions of the lease in not paying the taxes, is superfluous. However, since this finding appears to be the principal ground on which the decision is pitched, I feel that it is appropriate for me to express my inability to subscribe thereto.
It is my opinion that, after notice of violation of the provisions of the lease had been given, it was perfectly proper for the lessor to accept monthly rental without waiving his right to insist upon cancellation of the lease. Surely, it cannot rightly be deduced that the acceptance of current monthly rent operated as a waiver of the lessee’s obligation to punctually pay the city and state taxes due by him. Nor do I believe that such acceptance constituted a waiver of the option given lessor to cancel the lease at any time after the expiration of the ten day period given in lessor’s notice, as provided by the contract.
I realize that the holding herein finds substantial support in the decision of Canal Realty & Improvement Co., Inc., v. Pailet, 217 La. 376, 46 So.2d 303. However, since I am presently convinced that the holding in that case is not correct, I must respectfully disagree with the similar ruling in this matter.
I concur in the decree.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- John F. ARMS v. Edward P. RODRIGUEZ
- Cited By
- 17 cases
- Status
- Published