Tenant Screening News
Tenant Screening News
Tenant Screening News
Be Careful When Evicting Tenants
Did you know that if your building has multiple owners, each name must be on eviction paperwork filed with the court? Leave one name off, and you could have your case dismissed.
That’s just one of little things that keeps many landlords from getting tenants evicted in a timely manner. It’s important to follow the rules in your state very carefully. They vary, but there are basic processes you should be aware of:
First, you have to give your tenant written notice that the lease will be terminated unless they pay the rent, move the RV, pay the damages they owe, etc. The notice will be either a “pay or quit” or “cure or quit” form. For example, in most states, you have to give tenants notice that unless they pay back rent in three to five days, they must quit the premises. Or, you might give a tenant 10 days to find a new place to park the RV.
For those who repeatedly violate the terms of their leases, you can issue an unconditional quit notice, after which the tenant must leave immediately. These are often used for chronic late rent, illegal activities or serious damages (like after a really rowdy party).
If the tenant doesn’t move out, then you can begin legal proceedings, starting with a summons for eviction. The tenant might fight the eviction, find ways to delay it or expose errors in your paperwork (see above), each of which could prevent you from winning your case.
If you do win, the judge will issue a judgment for possession of the property. Then you must check your state’s laws pertaining to tenants’ property. Most states will have local law enforcement issue the tenant a notice of how many days they have to remove their belongings from the rental property.
If you’re in doubt about your state’s laws or exactly how to proceed with an eviction, contact a lawyer who’s familiar with—or specializes in—landlord-tenant law.