Housing Laws

If you or one of your immediate family members have been a victim of domestic violence and you don’t want to break your rental agreement, you can instead ask your landlord to change your locks. Your landlord then has three days from the time s/he receives your request to change the locks. However, your landlord does not have to pay for the new locks – that would be your responsibility.

If the locks aren’t changed within the three-day period, you can change the locks yourself but you must give the landlord a key.

Note: If the abuser is listed on the rental agreement, the locks cannot be changed unless there is a court order telling the abuser to move out. You must give the landlord a copy of the court order before the locks can be changed.¹

¹ HRS § 521-81(a), (b), (c)

If both the victim and the abuser are tenants in the same rental unit, and the victim ends his/her rental agreement early, you have two options:

1. You can allow the abuser to keep possession of the residence and hold the abuser responsible for all future rents due under the current rental agreement; or
2. You can terminate the abuser’s rental agreement by serving him/her with a written notice of termination at least five days before the termination date. If the abuser fails to move out on that date, you can then evict him/her. ¹

Note: Whether or not the abuser is your tenant, if the abuser’s actions caused the victim to break his/her rental agreement and this cost you money, you can sue the abuser for the money you lost.¹ If you are complying with the law in good faith, the abuser can’t sue you for any damages or any other relief.²

¹ HRS § 521-80(e)
² HRS § 521-80(g)