What does the legal term "unlawful detainer" signify?

The term "unlawful detainer" specifically refers to the situation where a person continues to possess property without a legal right to do so after their lease or rental agreement has expired, or after being otherwise lawfully terminated from their tenancy. This term is generally used in the context of landlord-tenant law, where the landlord seeks to regain possession of the property from a tenant who refuses to leave.

In many jurisdictions, the process of unlawful detainer involves the landlord filing a lawsuit to remove the tenant, thereby formalizing the eviction process after the tenant has overstayed their welcome. The key aspect of unlawful detainer is that it denotes a wrongful retention of possession, making option B the most accurate description among the choices presented.

Other choices, although related to property law, focus on different aspects of property possession or eviction that do not encapsulate the specific legal definition of unlawful detainer. For example, modifying a property or providing notice to vacate addresses actions rather than the legal status of possession following the expiration of tenancy. Similarly, while the eviction procedure is certainly a part of the overall context, it does not define unlawful detainer itself. Thus, option B captures the essence of the term correctly.