WHAT YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT EVICTIONS

Evictions are unfortunate and costly for everyone involved. They are long, expensive and frustrating. Whether you are evicting because of late payments or damage to the property, there are a few things you should know. Why people get evicted, how evictions work, how much evictions cost, and how to avoid these nightmare tenants. This short article contains all of that and more

What are the most common reasons for eviction?

These are the top five legal reasons for evicting a tenant. They are all reasonable and well within your rights as the property owner and landlord. If you find out that your tenant has committed crimes, for example, it is your responsibility to notify the police and file for eviction. If you fail to evict a tenant for any criminal activity you could be implicated in the crime yourself. Just one of the following reasons may be grounds for an eviction:

  • Non-payment of rent/utilities.
  • Lease violation – having non authorized pets, unapproved occupants, improper use, nuisance complaints.
  • Damage to the property.
  • Crime, drug use, or general illegal activities.
  • The lease has expired, doesn’t want to renew it and tenants have not vacated the property

Are all evictions the same?

The laws surrounding eviction vary from county to county and/or state to state, though some generalizations can be made about how the process works. The eviction notice is served either in person, standard mail, certified mail or by process server

Once notice has been given, the tenant must vacate themselves and belongings by the agreed date. If the tenant is not out by the agreed date do NOT touch their belongings in the house. You have to wait the specified period of time by law, depending in the jurisdiction, if they have not moved by then you have to file an eviction notice. Once there has been a ruling by the judge in favor of the landlord, the landlord can utilize the local law enforcement to physically evict the tenant in question.

How much does eviction cost the landlord?

In theory, an eviction is simple, you are seeing a profit loss from failed payments or needed repairs to the property. You evict the tenant, keep their deposit to recoup your losses, and then go your separate ways. Unfortunately, this is not how evictions play out in the real world. Tenants become vicious, damaging the property, stealing whatever they can, and making your life miserable. Depending on how long the process of removing them legally takes, the lost rent, and the damage to the property all can far exceed the standard cost of an eviction. According to TransUnion, the cost of evicting your tenant can be anywhere between $3,500-$10,000. This is simply an unthinkable amount of lost income, expenses and time. Doing everything in your power to avoid these kinds of tenants is so important.

The value of a background check

A professional background check into a potential tenant can provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether your tenant is going to be reliable or not.
Don’t think that the eye test or your gut feeling is enough to decide how trustworthy a tenant is. This is not the case. A professional background check can give you enough information to make a sound decision. The cost of the background check is minimum compared to the time and  thousands of dollars you could end up paying for an eviction.
Did you know that ACUTRAQ does Resident Background Screening, Employment Background Screening & Has a Free Version of Tenant Screening for Landlords? Click on the corresponding link above to find out more!!

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