As a landlord, the hardest thing you'll have to do is evict a bad tenant.
Every year, there are nearly 4 million eviction cases in the US. No property owner sets out to evict tenants, but when concerns start mounting, there comes a time when you have to cut your losses.
As long as you know how to handle the eviction process, you should be able to get through this troubling period and find a more suitable tenant. In this post, we're going to give you a quick guide on how to handle evictions.
Evictions can sometimes get ugly, but keep reading and you'll be able to navigate the process and avoid eviction in the future.
Know the State Laws
Before you can take action, you have to know your laws to legally evict a tenant. In Nevada, you have to give a tenant the proper notice, of which there are several. The notice that you give will correspond to the reason that you're trying to evict your tenant.
Some of the common reasons why landlords evict tenants include a repeated failure to pay rent on time, breaking the terms of the rental agreement, conducting criminal activity, or a non-renewal of the lease. You can learn more about Las Vegas' eviction laws here.
Understanding Notices
You have to start the eviction by giving your tenant a notice letting them know that the eviction process is either underway or potentially underway. If the tenant has repeatedly failed to pay rent, you'd issue them a 7-day notice to pay rent or quit. This means they either have to pay the rent within 7 business days or leave the premises.
If they violate the rental agreement by damaging the property, smoking, or bringing an unauthorized pet in, you can issue a 5-day notice to comply. This means that they have 5 days to fix the damage or get rid of the pet.
When illegal activity is being conducted on your property, you can issue a 3-day notice to quit. In these situations, you have the right to demand that a tenant vacates without the opportunity to rectify the situation.
For a non-renewal of the lease, you have to give your tenant 30 days to find a new rental.
Going to Court
If your tenant refuses to adhere to the notice that you give, you'll have to begin the formal eviction process. This starts by filling out the proper forms and paying the fees at your local court. Along with an appointed official, you serve your tenant the official eviction notice.
Sometimes, a tenant will decide to fight the eviction. In this case, you'll have to meet them in court to show proof of their violations. Bring a copy of the rental agreement, bank statements, and any correspondence or photographs of the violations.
As long as the proof is there, the judge almost always rules in favor of the landlord in these cases.
How a Property Manager Makes Evictions Easier
Handling evictions can be a time-consuming pain in the neck. One way to avoid dealing with them is to hire a qualified property manager. At Avalon Realty and Oaktree Management, we'll help you avoid having to evict tenants by properly screening them so that you only get the best tenants in your properties.
In the event of an eviction, we can handle the entire process as described above, so you don't need to get involved. We also offer amazing property maintenance, rent collection, and accounting services for your properties.
Contact us today to find out more about our services and how we can optimize your property investments.
Bonnie is the visionary that has driven the company and culture of Avalon since 1993. Her passion is improving procedures and practices; incorporating technology and value added services for both our clients and tenants.