EVICTIONS: A LANDLORD’S JOURNEY AND INSIGHTS
Many new landlords are intimidated by the eviction process, and often put it off, only to have a tenant who is breaking the lease cost the landlord thousands of dollars. In this blog, “Evictions: A Landlord’s Journey and Insights”, you will read an example of a landlord named Pam.
Pam had been managing her rental herself and contacted me looking for help. Her tenant had not paid rent in 6 months and she didn’t know what to do. Six months of lost rent cost her $8000! She explained that the tenant kept making and breaking promises regarding catching up on rent, thus stringing her along. Not only should this problem have been taken care of immediately, but Pam would likely have never rented to them if she’d known what red flags to look for. She didn’t have the right tools in place to conduct a thorough applicant screening. At Kasteel Property Management we have a thorough screening process that helps to avoid problem tenants. See the videos at the following links listed in the comments below for more information on how to avoid the wrong tenants.
Pam was wondering if I could start managing and take care of the current situation. I quickly got her signed up as a client and went to work. The first thing I did was contact the tenant to inform them of the change in management and give them a 3-Day Pay or Vacate Notice. In Utah, that is the proper first step. The tenant was informed that if they do not comply with the terms on the Pay or Vacate notice then our attorney would proceed with the next steps to have them removed from the property.
It is possible to be both firm and kind. We don’t always know what is going on in their life that has led to this point, but it is up to them to seek out resources in their family and community for help. Our job is to uphold a business agreement according to the lease. If they decide to move rather than pay, we help them understand that as long as they comply with the terms on the Pay or Vacate notice they will have control of their move out. If they do not comply then they will quickly lose that control and things will become much more difficult and expensive for them. Oftentimes people are grateful for the information. In this case, the tenants knew it was serious and they quickly moved out.
We then proceeded with cleaning the unit, maintenance, and changing the locks. We had it re-rented to a properly screened tenant only a couple short weeks later. The previous tenant was sent a bill for all the money they owed, was sent to collections, and we eventually collected a big portion of that lost money for our client. Our client was ecstatic. When you have the right tools, knowledge, and experience, big problems such as this can usually be quickly fixed and more often prevented.
To avoid the worry, stress, and extra costs of dealing with an eviction, the best thing a landlord can do is have a detailed plan and know the laws before a problem arises. At Kasteel Property Management we can handle this for you and save you money in the process. We do more than just watch your rental property. We protect it, cultivate it, and help your investment grow.
