With more people choosing to rent these days than ever before, leasing out your properties to tenants is a smart business endeavor. However, to really capitalize on your investment, it’s essential to have good tenants who follow the terms of their lease agreements, pay their rent on time, and respect your property and their neighbors. Unfortunately, being a landlord is not without its challenges.
Some tenants will prove to be less than desirable and you may be faced with the undesirable process of an eviction. Tenant evictions are perhaps the single most difficult and stressful part of owning and leasing out rental properties. This is because it’s vital to do it correctly to avoid costly delays and unnecessary complications. Here are some ways landlords can avoid delays during the eviction process.
Do Not Negotiate Directly With the Tenant
Apart from the actual steps that must be followed during an eviction, there are numerous factors that make the process so strenuous on landlords. There is the human element that comes into play, especially when dealing with tenants who are not necessarily being difficult or may have lived in the property for a long time. Because of this, it’s advisable that landlords avoid negotiating with tenants directly to avoid putting themselves in a tough emotional situation. It’s often helpful for landlords to put some distance between themselves and the tenants.
A tenant faced with a looming eviction may be strongly motivated to try and “cut a deal” directly with a landlord. However, in most cases, you will only delay the need to evict that tenant and will risk missing the opportunity to fill that rental space with a more reliable occupant. A more expedient route to evict a tenant and replace them with a more responsible one is to work with an experienced eviction services professional who will know what to say, and what not to say, in order to keep the eviction process moving forward successfully.
Do Not Accept Late or Partial Rent Payments
It can be tempting for landlords to convince themselves that an unreliable tenant will get better. A tenant may be going through a hard time, but allowing late or partial rent payments can open the door to more and more excuses down the road. When tenants plead for another chance, it’s difficult to deny them if you’ve already allowed them to get away with it in the past. It’s almost always best to set strict rules when it comes to rent and stick to it no matter what.
If it comes down to a situation in which you feel an eviction is the best solution after a tenant stops paying their rent, following these rules will help move the process along more efficiently. Additionally, if you openly give one tenant some leeway and not another, you risk facing angry retaliation, confrontations, and awkward conversations with your occupants when the threat of an eviction is brought up.
Understand that an Eviction Is a Process
It can be very hard to exercise patience when you have a tenant who has violated the lease terms, is not paying their rent on time (or at all), but whom is still living in your rental property. However, an eviction is a process that needs to follow specific steps in order to be successful. Attempting to speed up the process by indulging in illegal practices, such as locking a tenant out, will only create further delays.
This is also applicable if you do not provide your tenant with the correct notices in the particular order they need to be given. Depending on each situation, a different notice may be more relevant for a certain tenant. The state in which your property is located in also is a huge factor, as every state (and city for that matter) has their own laws regarding the eviction process. For example, Las Vegas eviction services professionals are fully trained to deal with every type of eviction within the Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and Henderson areas (as well as other surrounding areas), but wouldn’t necessarily be your best bet to contact if your rental property is located in Reno. This is another instance where contacting a reputable local eviction services company can be extremely beneficial for landlords. By following the proper procedure, you can ensure the eviction will occur in the fastest and most efficient way possible.
Document Everything When You Anticipate an Eviction
Evicting a tenant is a careful process that involves several steps from the first notice served, to the tenant actually vacating the property. We have covered in the past the many common eviction mistakes landlords should avoid, including making sure not to forget to document all actions taken by the landlord (or eviction services company) during the eviction process. It’s important for landlords to keep written records of all actions taken as they relate to the reason for evicting the tenant. Landlords will be expected to provide documentation to support the reason for the eviction should an eviction hearing take place.
This documentation can include photos, written notes, a copy of the signed lease agreement highlighting your eviction policies, the testimony of witnesses (including other tenants), and financial accounts to prove the failure of rent payment, if applicable. It is also important to include exact dates and times when disturbances or complaints against the particular tenant occurred. The more organized your documentation is, the fewer delays your eviction will experience.
Work with a Professional Eviction Services Company
If you feel overwhelmed when faced with a looming eviction of one of your tenants, or have concerns that your lack of experience may delay the process, the best investment you can make is partnering with an eviction services professional in your area. As specialists when it comes to evictions, they can provide the guidance and expertise you need to expedite the process and avoid the issues outlined above that could ultimately delay the eviction.
Eviction is a very serious and complex process that can take time, money, and years of experience to learn to navigate fully. It can also be personally taxing on landlords when having to deal with frustrated or disgruntled tenants on their own, resulting in even more delays. By hiring an eviction service company, you are able to create that buffer by utilizing an experienced third party, allowing you (as the landlord) to focus more on the other demanding responsibilities that come with managing a property.