If you check the counterclaim box on your answer, you are saying your landlord owes you money and you want to sue them back. There is a filing fee for this, but you can ask for a fee waiver if you need one.
Read the reasons for a counterclaim toward the end of the answer form and fill out any sections that you think apply to you.
If you do not have a reason to file a counterclaim, do not check the box on page 1 of the answer.
Affirmative defenses
These are reasons why the other side should lose, even if what they say in their complaint is true.
Read each affirmative defense and check the box if it applies to you. Here are some common defenses:
- Defendant complied with the notice
- If you did what the notice required (like pay your rent) before the notice expired, check the box and write in details about how you complied.
- Defendant substantially complied with the lease
- If you complied with almost everything required under the lease and you think the landlord is trying to evict you unfairly for something trivial, check the box and write in details about what happened.