Is it possible to cancel a tenancy with someone who is most probably a fraudster, just for being a fraudster?

Question

Some months ago, a neighbor of mine rented his appartment to a person for a year. Now, I have read in a major and respectable newsletter, that this person is accused of serious frauds. There are at least 8 women who blame him of luring them into a relationship, having children with them, promising to marry them, and meanwhile, taking their money and even their houses. The story was published after some of these women filed a police complaint against him. He was arrested for several days, and the court approved publishing his name and picture in order to warn future victims.

He was then under house arrest for a month, but released (I am not sure why) and is now waiting for his trial.

I, and other neighbors around me, feel very uncomfortable living next to such a criminal. However, the apartment holder has signed a contract with him for a year.

Can my neighbor unilaterally cancel the contract, based on the published evidence against this man?

Answer 1

The owner would need to go through the eviction process, and would need to show that the tenant had violated the terms of the agreement. Conceivably, a tenant could be evicted for using the property to carry out a criminal enterprise, but the courts would have to decide if that is the case. The underlying issue would be whether allowing the tenant to remain would constitute a public nuisance threatening public safety and morals and would cause damage to the owner in the form of loss of value in the property. The owner's attorney would study the specifics and give an appraisal of the likelihood of succeeding in court.

Answer 2

I don't know Israeli law but in most cases in the U.S., the answer is "no."

A landlord (or other contract signer) can't cancel a contract signed in good faith with a tenant just because that tenant had been known to defraud others. Even if he has a "rap sheet" a mile long.

The landlord can (often) cancel a contract if the tenant "stiffed" him/her (according to the terms of the contract).