See Watriss v. First Natl. Bank, 130 Mass. 343, 345, and cases cited; Tilden v. Tilden, 13 Gray, 103, 109; Baker v. Horan, 227 Mass. 415, 420-421; Morad v. Ramos, 330 Mass. 560, 562 (waste); Hall, Mass. Law of Landlord and Tenant (4th ed., Adams and Wadsworth) § 86; Schieffelin v. Carpenter, 15 Wend. 400, 409-410. As to specific performance see Gulesian v. St. James Amusement Co. 238 Mass. 172. In any event nominal damages are recoverable for breach of contract.
In the former, the lessor is not required to await expiration of the term before instituting suit; in the latter, action may not be instituted until the expiration of the term. ( Gulesian v. St. James Amusement Co., 238 Mass. 172, 130 N.E. 212; Schieffelin v. Carpenter, 15 Wend. [N.Y.] 400; Megerell v. State, 46 N.Y.S. [2d] 685.) Accordingly, since a cause of action premised upon breach of a covenant, express or implied, to return premises in a particular condition accrues only upon expiration of the term, the statute commences to run from that date.