What is the term for the termination of a lease due to the landlord's failure to maintain usable premises?

The correct term for the termination of a lease due to the landlord's failure to maintain usable premises is constructive eviction. This occurs when a tenant is forced to leave the rental property because the landlord has neglected their responsibilities to keep the property in a habitable condition. For example, if serious issues such as plumbing problems, heating failures, or safety hazards arise, and the landlord does not address these issues in a timely manner, the tenant may have grounds to claim constructive eviction.

This legal concept protects tenants, allowing them to terminate their lease without penalty if the living conditions are so poor that they can no longer reasonably inhabit the property. Constructive eviction serves to ensure that landlords uphold their duties, giving tenants a right to safe and livable premises. Other options, while relevant in legal discussions of leases, do not specifically address the scenario outlined in the question. Lease termination could refer to a variety of reasons for ending a lease, default eviction is not a widely recognized legal term, and rescission typically refers to canceling a contract due to various reasons, rather than specifically related to landlord responsibilities.