Jabbour Bros. v. Hartsook
Jabbour Bros. v. Hartsook
Opinion of the Court
after making the foregoing statement, delivered the following opinion of the court:
There are several assignments of error by the lessees, the plaintiffs in error, complaining of the action of the trial court in giving and refusing instructions; but as the verdict of the jury was in favor of the lessees to the full extent of their claim, if there was error in such action of the court, it will not be considered by us, as it was manifestly harmless error so far as the lessees are concerned.
This question must be answered in the affirmative.
In view of the fact that the evidence in the case shows that by mutual agreement between the lessor and the lessees, entered into before the term of the demise began, the monthly rent reserved was increased by $12.50 per month from the beginning of the term; that such extra rent was “in arrears and unpaid” when the notice was given on March 23, 1920, so that such notice terminated the tenancy ten days thereafter, to-wit, on April 3, 1920, in accordance with the seventh clause of the lease, and the tender on April 8, 1920, of the rent in arrears, being after such termination, was too late to prevent the termination which had already occurred; and as there was no conflict in the evidence on those subjects, it seems plain to us that there was no evidence before the jury to sustain the verdict for the lessees, and that the verdict was plainly contrary to the evidence.
This being so, all the other matters in controversy in the case, concerning whether under the second clause of the lease there was a forfeiture because of the subletting, or a forfeiture because of the use of the premises for a purpose other than for a general wholesale merchandise provided for in the lease, or whether such forfeitures were waived by the lessor by his acceptance of rent prior to the giving of the notice last mentioned, and other interesting questions raised in connection with these subjects ,¿n behalf of the respective parties and the authorities cited and relied on upon those questions and subjects become immaterial and, hence, need not be dealt with in this opinion.
We are, therefore, of opinion that there was no error in the action of the trial court in setting aside the verdict of the jury and in entering judgment for the lessor.
The judgment under review will be affirmed.
Affirmed.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Jabbour Bros. v. T. E. B. Hartsook
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- 6 cases
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- 1. LANDLORD AND TENANT-7~OtiCe to Quit for Falure to Pay Rent-Payment of Rent After Expiration of Time&emdash;Case at Bar.&emdash; A lease forbade subletting by the lessees, and provided that if rent should be in arrears, or if the lessees failed to comply with the condition of the lease, lessor might serve a notice of his intention to determine the lease, and the lease should determine ten days after such notice. In an action of unlawful detainer by the lessor the evidence showed that by mutual agreement between the lessor and lessees, entered into before the term of the demise began, the monthly rent reserved was increased, and such extra rent was in arrears and unpaid when notice was given on March 23, 1920, terminating the tenancy ten days thereafter, to-wit, on April 3, 1920, and that the lessees on April 8, 1920, tendered the rent in arrears. Held: That the tender on April 8, 1920, was too late to prevent the termination of the lease, and consequently there was no evidence before the jury to sustain a verdict for the lessees, and such verdict was plainly contrary to the evidence. 2. LANDLORD AND TRNANT-NOtice to Qwit-Contract P'rovi~ions Prevail.&emdash;Where a lease provided that, if the rent shall “at any time be in arrears and unpaid,” the lessor may terminate the lease at the expiration of ten days from the time of giving notice, neither the common law rules on the subject of what a landlord must do to terminate a lease because of nonpayment of rent nor the Virginia statute on the subject have any application, but the case is governed and controlled by the express contract of the parties and the action of the lessor in accordance therewith.