By Dixie Somers
A tenant is an individual who has secured a rental agreement with a landlord, permitting him or her to rent the property. The deal is arrived at either orally or by signing an agreement form. The leased property could be a condo, a house or an apartment.
In some cases, the tenant may decide to go against the rules of the contract and refuse to pay rent. In turn, the landlord may then opt to evict the tenant from the property.
Managing Costs
Before evicting a tenant, you should:
- Understand the eviction law and be willing to follow it
- Have a justifiable reason for the eviction
- Give the tenant a formal notice of the removal
- File your eviction case with the court
- Prepare for the court hearing and attend all of them.
Following such procedures will help you manage the costs that would be incurred during the eviction process.
What to Keep in Your Bank
You are advised to keep the security deposits in a separate account from the rent. As a landlord, you must never forget that only the rent belongs to you whereas the security deposit goes to the tenant. It therefore acts as an asset that the tenant has entrusted you to keep for him or her. You can only withhold it to compensate for the damages that the tenant may have caused to the unit and you should also use some money to pay for a moving company to relocate the tenant’s property.
Always Follow Protocol
Following a notification protocol will also help you in managing the eviction costs. With an eviction, it doesn't necessarily matter who between the two parties is wrong or right. The most important thing is following the procedure. As a landlord, you are at liberty to dictate who occupies the property.
You are also advised to hire an attorney when dealing with such cases. Most landlords opt to go into the courts without one. However, this could lead to a situation where the tenant’s lawyer takes advantage of you and drags the case out for a long time.
The process of eviction can be hectic to most landlords. The most important thing is to ensure that you follow the rule of law to achieve the best results. Apart from that, it is ethical to reimburse the initial deposit to your tenant peacefully and in an orderly way. With these steps in mind, the whole process will be less expensive and successful.
This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of RISMedia.
