Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes > Chapter 521 > Part IV - Landlord Obligations

• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Dwelling unit: means a structure, or part of a structure, which is used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one person or by two or more persons maintaining a common household, to the exclusion of all others. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Landlord: means the owner, lessor, sublessor, assigns or successors in interest of the dwelling unit or the building of which it is a part and in addition means any agent of the landlord. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• month: means a calendar month; and the word "year" a calendar year. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 1-20
• Owner: means one or more persons, jointly or severally, in whom is vested:

  (1) All or any part of the legal title to property; or

  (2) All or any part of the beneficial ownership and a right to present use and enjoyment of the property; and

  includes a mortgagee in possession. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8

• Person: includes an individual, corporation, government or governmental agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, two or more persons having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or commercial entity. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8
• Premises: means a dwelling unit, appurtenances thereto, grounds, and facilities held out for the use of tenants generally and any other area or facility whose use is promised to the tenant. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8
• Rental agreement: means all agreements, written or oral, which establish or modify the terms, conditions, rules, regulations, or any other provisions concerning the use and occupancy of a dwelling unit and premises. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Single family residence: means a structure maintained and used as a single dwelling unit. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8
• Tenant: means any person who occupies a dwelling unit for dwelling purposes under a rental agreement. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• Utility service: means service for electricity, water, sewer, and natural gas. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 521-8