Q: Is it legal for a landlord to cancel lease renewal due to a child turning 18 soon?

A: Legal. This is a business decision that is very smart on the landlord's part. Once your daughter turns 18, she is a legal adult. That changes the nature of your lease from "mom and dad and child" to "3 adults" living in the apartment. You may not see it that way at all, but you are not the landlord. Good luck.

A: It’s understandable that you’re frustrated, especially after living there for nine years and having a consistent renewal process. Requiring your daughter to apply and pay an application fee simply because she is turning 18 may feel sudden and unnecessary, but landlords do have the right to set their leasing policies, including requiring all legal adults in the household to be listed on the lease. However, the timing and manner of how they’re enforcing this can raise questions of fairness, especially if this policy wasn’t clearly communicated in advance.

If your daughter has been living in the unit all along and is just now turning 18, it may not be reasonable for the landlord to cancel your scheduled lease renewal meeting without warning. Charging an application fee and running a credit check on someone who just became an adult and likely has limited credit history also seems excessive, especially when you, the existing tenant, are the primary leaseholder. Still, landlords are often allowed to screen all adult occupants, even if they’re not contributing financially.

You have every right to ask for a written explanation of this policy and request that the renewal proceed while allowing time to complete any necessary paperwork after your daughter’s birthday. You’re not trying to avoid requirements—you’re asking for consistency and basic respect after nearly a decade as a tenant. It’s okay to push back respectfully and stand your ground. You’ve earned that right with your long-term tenancy.