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Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51 (2026)

  Tenant to maintain dwelling unit

✓ current as of July 2026
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PART V.  TENANT OBLIGATIONS

 

     §521-51  Tenant to maintain dwelling unit.  Each tenant shall at all times during the tenancy:

     (1)  Comply with all applicable building and housing laws materially affecting health and safety;

     (2)  Keep that part of the premises which the tenant occupies and uses as clean and safe as the conditions of the premises permit;

     (3)  Dispose from the tenant's dwelling unit all rubbish, garbage, and other organic or flammable waste in a clean and safe manner;

     (4)  Keep all plumbing fixtures in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant as clean as their condition permits;

     (5)  Properly use and operate all electrical and plumbing fixtures and appliances in the dwelling unit or used by the tenant;

     (6)  Not permit any person on the premises with the tenant's permission to wilfully destroy, deface, damage, impair, or remove any part of the premises which include the dwelling unit or the facilities, equipment, or appurtenances thereto, nor oneself do any such thing;

     (7)  Keep the dwelling unit and all facilities, appliances, furniture, and furnishings supplied therein by the landlord in fit condition, reasonable wear and tear excepted; and

     (8)  Comply with all obligations, restrictions, rules, and the like which are in accordance with section 521-52 and which the landlord can demonstrate are reasonably necessary for the preservation of the property and protection of the persons of the landlord, other tenants, or any other person. [L 1972, c 132, pt of §1; gen ch 1985; am L 1989, c 143, §2]

 

Case Notes

 

  Where no evidence that tenant's failure to replace damaged tiles constituted a violation of applicable building and housing laws materially affecting health and safety under paragraph (1), landlord was not authorized under §521-69(a) to terminate tenant's lease.  87 H. 353 (App.), 956 P.2d 1285 (1998).

 

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1985–2026 · leading case: Waimanalo Vill. Residents' Corp. v. Young, 956 P.2d 1285 (Haw. App. 1998).
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Waimanalo Vill. Residents' Corp. v. Young, 956 P.2d 1285 (Haw. App. 1998). · cites it 16× “(3) Whether the Youngs ivere in violation of HRS § 521-51 (1993) of the Landlord-Tenant Code.”
Ryan v. Herzog., 418 P.3d 619 (Haw. 2018). · cites it 2× “HRS § 521-51(1) - (8) (1989). Tenants must comply with a landlord's obligations or restrictions relating to the tenant's use, occupancy, and maintenance of the dwelling unit if appropriate notice has been given by the landlord and certain other conditions have all been met.”
Rodrigues v. Chan, 705 P.2d 67 (Haw. App. 1985). · cites it 4× “HRS § 521-51 provides in pertinent part: Tenant to maintain dwelling unit.”
Rees v. Gordon (Haw. App. 2025). · cites it 8× “) 8 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER landlord may terminate a rental agreement due to a tenant's noncompliance with HRS § 521-51 that threatens to cause irremediable damage to any person.”
Rees v. Gordon (Haw. App. 2025). · cites it 8× “) 8 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER landlord may terminate a rental agreement due to a tenant's noncompliance with HRS § 521-51 that threatens to cause irremediable damage to any person.”
Rodrigues v. Shapley (Haw. App. 2026). · cites it 6× “[Construing HRS §§ 521-51 and 521-69]: If the tenant is in immaterial [sic] noncompliance with Section 521-51, the landlord upon learning of any such noncompliance and after notifying the tenant in writing of the noncompliance and allowing a specified time not less than 2/…”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51(1) — 5 cases
Ryan v. Herzog., 418 P.3d 619 (Haw. 2018). “HRS § 521-51(1) - (8) (1989). Tenants must comply with a landlord's obligations or restrictions relating to the tenant's use, occupancy, and maintenance of the dwelling unit if appropriate notice has been given by the landlord and certain other conditions have all been met.”
Waimanalo Vill. Residents' Corp. v. Young, 956 P.2d 1285 (Haw. App. 1998). “(3) Whether the Youngs ivere in violation of HRS § 521-51 (1993) of the Landlord-Tenant Code.”
Rodrigues v. Shapley (Haw. App. 2026). “[Construing HRS §§ 521-51 and 521-69]: If the tenant is in immaterial [sic] noncompliance with Section 521-51, the landlord upon learning of any such noncompliance and after notifying the tenant in writing of the noncompliance and allowing a specified time not less than 2/…”
Rees v. Gordon (Haw. App. 2025). “) 8 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER landlord may terminate a rental agreement due to a tenant's noncompliance with HRS § 521-51 that threatens to cause irremediable damage to any person.”
Rees v. Gordon (Haw. App. 2025). “) 8 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER landlord may terminate a rental agreement due to a tenant's noncompliance with HRS § 521-51 that threatens to cause irremediable damage to any person.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 521-51(8) — 2 cases
Rees v. Gordon (Haw. App. 2025). “) 8 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER landlord may terminate a rental agreement due to a tenant's noncompliance with HRS § 521-51 that threatens to cause irremediable damage to any person.”
Rees v. Gordon (Haw. App. 2025). “) 8 NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN WEST'S HAWAI I REPORTS AND PACIFIC REPORTER landlord may terminate a rental agreement due to a tenant's noncompliance with HRS § 521-51 that threatens to cause irremediable damage to any person.”
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