What does "constructive eviction" mean?

Constructive eviction refers to a situation where a landlord fails to maintain a rental property in a way that it significantly interferes with the tenant's ability to comfortably live there. This failure may involve neglecting necessary repairs, failing to provide basic services, or allowing conditions that make the property uninhabitable. As a result, the tenant may feel compelled to leave the premises because their living conditions have become intolerable due to the landlord's neglect.

In this context, the key factor is that while the tenant does not receive an official eviction notice, the lack of proper maintenance creates conditions in which staying in the property is not feasible. This means that the tenant has the legal grounds to claim that they have been constructively evicted, particularly if they vacate the property in response to the landlord's failures.