Evicting tenants is one thing that landlords try to avoid. It can be messy, awkward, and sometimes, just plain troublesome. Golden Assets & Property Management LLC (GAPM) has, through accumulated experience, gathered how landlords should deal with evicting tenants.
Reasons for eviction
Both the tenant and the landlord are bounded by a lease agreement. They now both share rights over their personal property and the property which they share.
The terms in this tenancy agreement, when violated, can be the ground for eviction. This differs from tenant to tenant and landlord to landlord, based on what you have stipulated on the agreement that both you and your tenant have signed.
Another reason why landlords evict tenants is because the latter can no longer fulfill his or her commitment to pay the rent. In cases like this, the landlord has to remember to be reasonable.
When a tenant fails to pay rent or is unable to pay it regularly, you have to consider the situation well. There are instances where a tenant just forgets to pay the rent due to a major change in his or her life, or maybe because of a death of a relative.
However, if you feel, to the best of your judgment, that your tenant is no longer capable of fulfilling his or her responsibilities on their side, then it may be time to take the next step: eviction.
How to handle eviction
- Notify the tenant
The first step is to notify the tenant about his/her eviction. As a landlord, you may feel a need to get the eviction process over with as soon as possible, thereby forgetting to follow the proper and legal steps in eviction.
- Be calm and reasonable
Landlords may deal with a little set of theatrics depending on the level and intensity of emotions that a tenant may feel. Show your empathy and how you understand their situation but always stick to your reason. You are first and foremost, in this situation, the landlord and you therefore must put your priorities as a landlord first. It doesn’t mean that you are depriving them of anything, but you are merely taking care of your business.
- Refer to the lease agreement
Golden advises landlords to always go back to the tenancy agreement while in the process of dealing with eviction. This will keep you grounded on justifiable terms. In worse cases, this will make your stand firmer in a lawsuit, seeing as your decision to evict the tenant is based on a legal agreement.
- Contact authorities
Yes, you may be the landlord, but don’t make the mistake of taking the law into your own hands like in forceful eviction. GAPM advises that landlords should contact authorities to help expedite the process whilst protecting your rights. Doing this by yourself may cause more harm than good, specially when the tenant sees your actions a form of harassment.
What not to do when dealing with eviction
- Do not enter the property
Do not enter the property under the premises of removing your tenant’s belongings. Your tenant still retains the right to his or her privacy. Further, that move may seem to be too aggressive on your part.
- Refrain from repeatedly texting and calling your tenant
This, too, may constitute to harassment. Leaving so many texts and calls can be evidence against you and might turn out to be a messy eviction. As much as you’re the owner of the property, your status as landlord will have to look up to the authority whom your tenant may report you to if they feel threatened.
- Do not resort to threats
No one is above the law, and while you may have rights over your property, your tenant also have the right to his or her own safety. Always avoid leaving threats, even subtle ones. That may be held against you also, even if you did not actually intent to carry it out.
How to avoid eviction
There is a way to avoid eviction, and that is by selecting your tenants carefully. You have to be discerning and check all the financial records that you can. Try to learn about his or her job and if they are earning well on a regular basis from a stable job.
If you need help in selecting your tenants, in dealing with the eviction process, or in property management in general, the professional property managers of GAPM will efficiently help you out in your property management needs. With the Golden Advantage, you won’t miss out on having the best tenants in your property. And in cases of eviction, Golden can handle that for you too.
Golden Asssets & Property Management LLC (GAPM) is the leading property management services company in Las Vegas. If you want to know more, check out this page or call 702-651-8886.