Once you’ve established that you have legal grounds to evict, save yourself headaches by following three simple steps for legal evictions.
1. Know the law in your state
Every landlord should know their state’s laws before renting a property. It also pays to review state law before starting the eviction process. The law will address specific questions like how to notify a tenant that they violated the lease agreement, how many days the tenant has to respond to the initial notice, and what follow-up steps are required. The landlord must prove lease violations, sometimes in court, so it pays to know the law and the text of your lease before standing before a judge.
2. Put the resident on notice
Every state law requires that the landlord post a termination notice, usually allowing the tenant to correct a situation. In extreme cases, there is no opportunity for a resident to change their ways; this is called an Unconditional Quit Notice. This notice is for the most extreme cases of repeat non-payment of rent, property damage, and illegal activity. It still gives the tenant time to vacate the property voluntarily before you begin legal eviction proceedings.
3. File a lawsuit to evict
Landlords usually don’t have any right to remove a resident or their property. They also can’t lock them out of the property. Once the deadline for the termination notice has come and gone, the property owner files a lawsuit to have the renter evicted. Once the landlord receives a judgment of unlawful retainer, a local law enforcement officer will serve the eviction notice for a fee. The notice gives the resident a few days to clear out, at the end of which time the officer returns to physically remove the evicted tenant if they haven’t moved out on their own.
Help with tenant issues, including legal evictions
The professionals at Class A Management handle tenant issues professionally. We’ll find the best renters and solutions for your investment property. If a tenant issue that requires legal action arises, our team can help you through the legal evictions process, or handle it altogether as your rental property management company.