what to expect when you got to evict a tenant who has a lawyer

by Ms. Brionna Abbott DVM 6 min read

Landlords evicting tenants who are protected by rent control or eviction protection should realize that these tenants have a heightened incentive to win, and will most likely hire their own counsel. Whenever a tenant appears with an attorney, rent control or not, the landlord should strongly consider “lawyering up” as well.

Full Answer

What happens when a landlord gives you an eviction notice?

Sep 16, 2021 · An eviction notice, or an eviction letter, is a legal document that landlords use to evict tenants for not complying with the original terms of the lease or rental agreement. The tenant and landlord may need to go to court to continue the eviction process. An eviction notice begins the eviction process, which varies widely state-by-state.

How long does a landlord have to give a tenant an eviction?

An eviction is a legal action started by the owner of a property to force a tenant to move out of the property. A court ordered eviction is the only legal way a landlord may force a tenant to leave a rental property. A lawful eviction requires a court proceeding. The length of the process will vary depending on the circumstances of the eviction.

Do I need an attorney to stop an eviction?

Apr 16, 2021 · Of course, if you are using an attorney, the attorney will show up in court. If you doing the eviction yourself, you will likely need to be present. Step 3: Serve the lawsuit. Once the lawsuit has been filed in court and the court date is set, the tenant will be served the official “unlawful detainer” lawsuit.

Should I evict a tenant outside of the eviction court?

Sep 21, 2018 · Aside from the documents, you should also be prepared with what you’re going to say in the courtroom. Be comfortable and don’t let yourself regret by leaving any details out. Keep in mind that whatever you confess in the courtroom will be the key in winning the eviction case. 6. Evict the tenant. You can now evict the tenant if you win the ...

Step 1: First Notice

If your landlord tries to force you out by changing the locks or shutting off your utilities, stand your ground.“There has to be notice given,” say...

Step 2: Summons

If you don’t follow the terms of the notice, things get murkier. Generally, a landlord will serve you with an official summons to bring you to evic...

Step 3: Court

Outside help is your best chance of fighting the eviction, but if that’s truly a luxury you cannot afford—and, if you’re behind on rent, it very we...

Step 4: The Judge's Decision

“The judge listens to both sides,” LeVan says. “Sometimes, courts will work out payment plans and hold off evictions as long as payments are made....

Step 5: The Eviction

Your landlord can’t evict you himself: Your local sheriff or marshal will come by to escort you from the property. “It’s not a comfortable thing,”...

How much notice should a landlord give a tenant to leave?

It depends on what state you’re in and your reason for evicting the tenant. You need to give the tenant the proper number of days’ notice required...

What happens if I receive an eviction notice?

While the notice is not a court order to leave, do not ignore it. An eviction notice allows the landlord to start the eviction process in court if...

How can I evict a tenant fast?

The fastest way to evict a tenant is to follow the correct legal procedure from the beginning , so you don’t wind up in a lengthy lawsuit. Make sur...

Do I need a lawyer to evict a tenant?

You don’t need a lawyer to evict a tenant. However, you may consider hiring a lawyer to help you if: This is your first eviction The tenant is fil...

How many tenants were evicted in 2014?

You’re not alone—it happened to 3.4 million tenants in 2014. Whatever the reason, your landlord can’t just show up one day and dump your things in the street—there’s a legally determined process for evicting a tenant. First of all, be sure that your landlord’s gripe legally qualifies as grounds for eviction.

What happens if you don't follow the terms of the notice?

If you don’t follow the terms of the notice, things get murkier. Generally, a landlord will serve you with an official summons to bring you to eviction court. There, you’ll have the opportunity to argue your case in front of a judge. Most of the time, you’ll receive either a monetary judgment or an eviction order.

What is a cure or quit notice?

Cure or quit notice— like the pay rent or quit notice, this gives you a few days to stop violating the conditions of your lease. Unconditional quit notice, which requires the tenant to leave immediately.

What happens if you withhold rent?

Even if it’s just life that’s keeping you from paying rent—you lost your job and unemployment is taking a while to come in—tell your story to the court.

Can a landlord evict you?

Your landlord can’t evict you himself: Your local sheriff or marshal will come by to escort you from the property. “It’s not a comfortable thing,” LeVan says. “The sheriffs change the locks, the kids are crying, and it’s always very stressful.”.

How long does a tenant have to give notice of eviction?

The notice period is typically tied to the type of tenancy, with week-to-week tenants usually receiving 7 days’ written notice and month-to-month tenants typically receiving 30 days’ written notice. NOTES.

What happens at an eviction hearing?

At the eviction hearing, whether it’s the first hearing, the second hearing, or a jury trial, one of two things can happen: 1 The court rules in favor of the tenant 2 The court rules in favor of the landlord

What is the first step in evicting a tenant?

Step 1: Lease Expires or Is Violated. Landlords can evict tenants for a variety of different reasons depending on the state. Typically, landlords must have a valid reason to evict a tenant unless the lease/rental agreement has expired, such as nonpayment of rent, illegal activity, and lease violations.

What is illegal activity?

Illegal Activity. Illegal activity could include anything from possessing and/or selling/manufacturing controlled substances, to gang activity, assault, felonies, murder, and domestic abuse. Each state has its own regulations about what constitutes “illegal activity” for eviction purposes.

How long does it take to get an eviction notice?

This part of the process can take anywhere from 3-30 days or longer, depending on the state, the reason for the eviction, and whether or not tenants are required to file a written response. Answer. A written answer is the tenant’s opportunity to explain to the court why they should not be evicted.

Can a landlord evict a tenant for not paying rent?

Landlords are allowed to evict a tenant in most states for failing to pay their rent on time. “On time” means different things in different states, with some states allowing grace periods for late rent while others don’t.

What happens if a tenant moves out of a lease?

For those states, if the tenant moves out or corrects the issue that caused the lease violation prior to the deadline given in the notice, then the tenant will not be required to move out and the eviction process will be stopped.

Eviction

An eviction is a legal action started by the owner of a property to force a tenant to move out of the property. A court ordered eviction is the only legal way a landlord may force a tenant to leave a rental property. A lawful eviction requires a court proceeding. The length of the process will vary depending on the circumstances of the eviction.

Notice to Quit

A landlord will probably begin by giving a tenant a “Notice to Quit”. This notice can be posted on the tenant’s door or the landlord may hand it to an adult on the premises. It cannot be sent by regular or certified mail. Any notice that is only sent by mail should be considered void and argued as such in court.

Court Hearing

If the tenant has not moved within the time stated in the eviction notice, the landlord must go to the Magisterial District Court in order to file a Landlord/Tenant Complaint. A court hearing will be set for seven (7) to fifteen (15) days after the landlord files the complaint.

Judgement

After the hearing, the Magisterial District Judge will either make a decision that day or within three (3) days. The Judge will issue a written Notice of Judgment. If the judgment is in your favor, the landlord will be required to do what the Judge ordered—such as not evicting you from the rental unit.

Order for Possession

If the judgment is Possession Granted, you will have to move out of the home by the scheduled eviction date even if you pay all the money owed in full. If you disagree with the decision and want to stay in the home, you will need to file an Appeal to the Court of Common Pleas within 10 days of the judgment date and post a bond. See Appeal Process.

Appeal Process

There are often two parts to a Judge’s decision: Possession (eviction) and Money Judgment.

How to evict a tenant?

Step 1: Post or deliver the eviction notice. The first “legal” step in evicting a renter comes in the form of hand-delivering (serving) written notice of eviction to the tenant, letting them know of their grievance and what you are doing. The kind of notice served depends on your state and the eviction reason:

How long does it take to evict a tenant?

In most states, as long as everything goes as planned, an eviction takes about a month.

What happens if a tenant files for bankruptcy?

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 you’ll definitely need an attorney.

Who is Brandon Turner?

Brandon Turner is an active real estate investor, entrepreneur, writer, and podcaster. He is a nationally recognized leader in the real estate education space and has taught millions of people how to find, finance, and manage real estate investments.

Can a tenant file an unlawful detainer lawsuit?

Once the lawsuit has been filed in court and the court date is set, the tenant will be served the official “ unlawful detainer” lawsuit. Most likely, this will need to be served by a third party. Deliver this lawsuit directly to the tenant.

What happens if a tenant doesn't show up to court?

The lawsuit. Generally, if the tenant does not show up to court and doesn’t respond to the lawsuit, they automatically lose. If the tenant does show up, the judge will hear both sides and rule either in the favor of the landlord or the tenant. If you lose the eviction… well, it sucks.

How to avoid eviction?

1. Try to avoid an eviction. If you are trying to figure out how to evict a tenant, most likely you are stressed and angry at that tenant. However, understand that in most cases, evictions can be prevented with proper landlording practices.

2 attorney answers

If a tenant is arrested for assaulting another tenant or the landlord, you can terminate his tenancy immediately. RCW 59.18.180 (4). If there was no arrest, the situation is more complex, but not impossible to deal with.#N#The victim tenant may be able to obtain a anti-harassment order to protect himself...

Cheryl Rivera Smith

Check your written lease, you can probably evict for other reasons than the non-payment of rent. You should also contact the police to see if law enforcement could be of assistance since your safety may be at risk.

Never Try It on Your Own

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The temptation to attempt to handle an eviction on your own is great–the Internet is full of “advice,” free downloadable forms for you to send your tenant, and lots of general information. Most of it is just wrong. Before you start printing free forms, be reminded of one thing–you get what you pay for. In the Nassau and Suffolk Co…
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How The Eviction Process Works

  • Before your eviction lawyer can start proceedings against a tenant, he or she will need a copy of your written lease agreement, if there is one. Many lease agreements contain predicate notice requirements that must be met before you can start legal action. An experienced eviction lawyer will read the lease to ensure that you have met all such notice requirements. Many Nassau and …
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Non-Payment Eviction

  • If your tenant simply does not pay the agreed amount of rent, then you have the right to evict him or her. If the tenant pays all of the rental arrears and becomes current in the rent on or before the court date, the case will generally be dismissed and the tenant will remain in possession of the property. If you are willing to accept the potential for this outcome, then a non-payment proceedi…
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Hold-Over Eviction

  • Two things have to be in effect for a hold-over proceeding: 1. Non-payment of rent is NOT the primary grounds for a the eviction. 2. There is no written lease in effect for a term not yet expired. In other words, if the term of your tenant’s written lease agreement has not yet expired, you generally cannot evict him or her unless the tenant stops paying rent. If your agreement is oral, h…
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Steps to An Eviction

  • There a several trips to the courthouse in an eviction proceeding and every case is different, but these are the basics. Serve an appropriate predicate notice. This lets the tenant know that he or she must do something within a specified time period, or an eviction action will begin. File and serve a Notice of Petition with Petition in the appropriate court. Appear in court on the date the p…
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Why You Need An Eviction Lawyer

  • Evicting a tenant is time-consuming and takes precise attention to the New York landlord-tenant statutes, which is why you need an experienced attorney to represent you. At the Murtha Law Firm, LLC, we have many years of experience in working with landlords to resolve tenant issues. Our flat fee covers all the expenses you would incur if you tried to evict on your own, including fil…
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