What Owners Must Do if They Offer a Buyout Agreement

In Santa Monica, landlords and their agents are required to give tenants a notice of certain rights before offering any form of compensation in exchange for a tenant's agreement to voluntarily vacate a rental unit. Those rights include:  the right not to enter into a buyout agreement; the right to consult with an attorney and/or the Rent Control Board before signing the agreement; the right to an amount not less than the permanent relocation fee required by SMMC Section 4.36.040; and, the right to cancel the agreement at any time up to 30 days after all parties have signed it.

Landlords are also required to file copies of all buyout agreements with the City Clerk no sooner than 31 days, and no later than 60 days, after the agreement has been signed by all parties. If a landlord fails to follow these requirements, a tenant may cancel the buyout agreement.

Tenants are under no obligation to accept buyout offers and should realistically evaluate whether any amount offered is sufficient to make up for the loss of a controlled rental unit.

For City Clerk Services:

The City Clerk’s Office will be available in-person to accept subpoenas, summons, claims, requests for hearings or other forms that must be filed. Please call (310) 458-8211 during regular business hours and a staff member will be available to meet you in front of City Hall shortly to accept the form. 

Please note that this service is available half days (from 7:30 a.m. - noon) on Dec. 24 and 31, and the office will be fully closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, 2026. 

If you have a PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST, visit www.smgov.net/publicrecordsrequest.   

For more information, visit: https://www.santamonica.gov/blog/city-facility-and-service-closures-for-dec-22-jan-2-2026