Regardless of the reason for the eviction notice, remember, all tenants have rights. When you meet with your lawyer, ask for an explanation of your rights as they pertain to the relationship between you and your landlord. If youâve enjoyed this article and would like to review more articles on legal matters, check out the archives on our blog.
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Read on to understand how to legally evict tenants. Once you become aware of a problem at the rental unit, start by talking with your tenant before jumping directly into the eviction process, especially if the tenant has had no history of issues beforehand. Youâll also need to be sure the issue is something you can evict a tenant for in your state.
Once you become aware of a problem at the rental unit, start by talking with your tenant before jumping directly into the eviction process, especially if the tenant has had no history of issues beforehand. Youâll also need to be sure the issue is something you can evict a tenant for in your state. When Can I Evict a Tenant?
For example, if a tenant files for bankruptcy during the eviction, bankruptcy court will place a stay on the eviction process. Your eviction is stopped until the stay is lifted, and youâll definitely need an attorney. Your knowledge and experience with the eviction process will also be a factor.
The kind of notice served depends on your state and the eviction reason: Pay or quit notice: If they are being evicted for past due rent rent, you will serve a âpay or vacateâ notice, or a âpay or quitâ notice.
Landlords who wait too long to evict a tenant can see cash flow quickly decline and potentially thousands of dollars in property damage caused by a bad tenant.
The writ is sent to local law enforcement who will visit the property, give the tenants a few minutes to pack some belongings, and then physically remove the evicted tenant and the tenantâs belongings, if necessary.
While the exact process for evicting a tenant varies by jurisdiction, there are typically eight steps to follow to evict a tenant:
One red flag you may be dealing with a professional tenant is when the applicant is in a hurry to move in. They know there is often a time lag between a recent eviction showing up on a rental history report and they are in a race against the clock to rent a new home before their old eviction becomes public record.
The average cost of a residential eviction can easily run several thousand dollars or more from start to finish, according to research from SmartMove and BiggerPockets.
Thatâs because states also limit the amount of security deposit a landlord can require a tenant to pay, usually an amount equal to one or two times the monthly rent.
A âprofessionalâ tenant is someone who rents your property with the intention of not paying the rent each month. While the tenant may have paid upfront money, such as the first monthâs rent and security deposit, they may never pay another dime.
The first thing you need to do is talk to the tenants, especially if the reason is simply a late payment and the tenants pay rent most of the time. It is also reasonable if youâre evicting a tenant without a lease.
You must have a valid excuse to force your tenant to leave. Some of the most common and legal reasons include:
When eviction is mentioned, it refers to the process a landlord can take to remove a tenant from their property. Eviction involves expelling someone from a rental property if they have not paid rent, engage in illegal activity, or have violated the terms of their rental agreement. Individual states and municipalities govern evictions in the United States.
Eviction is the process through which a landlord can legally ask the tenant to leave a rented property.
Pay rent or quit notices are sent to warn the tenant to pay their due rent. It informs the tenant to either â pay â or â quit â the property. If youâre unsure how to start the eviction process, start with this note. It should include important information like the date, name of the tenant, address, rent amount, and more.
Removing a tenant before giving a 30-day notice or other eviction paperwork.
If you want to collect any rent or monetary amount owed, you have to file a small case lawsuit. This will send the tenantâs employer a court-approved order and enable them to garnish wages. This will ensure that the landlord receives the payment before the tenant is paid by their employer, which will help clear any outstanding rental debts.
Specific days and dates will require you to do a little research into your stateâs landlord-tenant laws. In most states, as long as everything goes as planned, an eviction takes about a month. However, in some âtenant-friendlyâ states, evictions can take up to six months.
Court filing fee: Determine how many days after rent is due youâll wait to begin eviction filings. Then, charge your tenants a court filing fee. Five percent is often a good start, but make sure to check with your local courts to know exactly how much youâll be payingâand thus want to pass on to your tenants.
Expert legal advice is invaluable. For example, if a tenant files for bankruptcy during the eviction, bankruptcy court will place a stay on the eviction process. Your eviction is stopped until the stay is lifted, and youâll definitely need an attorney.
Of course, many landlords skip this step. But most of the time, when the rent is late, itâs because the tenant simply forgot or thereâs another easy explanation. Usually theyâll say something like, âShoot, okay⌠Iâll pay that today. I forgot, sorry .â Remind them to be sure to include the late fee with their payment.
Pay or quit notice: If they are being evicted for past due rent rent, you will serve a âpay or vacateâ notice, or a âpay or quitâ notice. This notice says that they have a certain number of daysâdepending on state lawsâto pay the rent or they will be evicted. The notice should also explain the rental amount due, along with any late fees or penalties.
Notice to comply: If they are being evicted for other reasons, such as violating the terms of their lease (they moved in a pet, late-night partying, etc.), this notice states that they have a certain number of days to rectify the situation or else be evicted.
If youâve found yourself wondering how to evict a tenant from your rental property, youâve come to the right place. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the entire eviction process, from hiring an attorney and notifying the tenant all the way through to your court date and tenant removal.