Before starting the eviction procedure, it advisable to first go through the eviction laws in detail and to understand your rights. In fact, you should have already checked these laws in detail when you drafted the lease agreement. That is, as a landlord, you should have a clear understanding of the relevant laws applicable to your country regarding eviction as well as the Landlord and Tenant Act if it applies.
Don’t Do it Yourself
Sometimes you may want to hasten an eviction and you may end up taking matters into your own hands. For instance, you may feel the urge to change locks, physically evict a tenant or shut off essential utilities. Even if a tenant is causing damage to your apartment, is a liar or an outright deadbeat, taking the matters in your own hands is illegal. Prior to evicting a tenant, you must have a court order allowing you to take the relevant actions.
Have a Good Reason for Eviction
To be granted a court order in order to evacuate your tenants from your apartment, a judge requires a landlord to provide a valid reason as to why he wants to evict the tenant. Eviction is much easier when a tenant has destroyed your property or broken a lease agreement. However, if the tenant is a law-abiding citizen and has not broken the lease agreement, even if you get a court order, the eviction can be overturned if the tenant decides to contest it.
Hire an Experienced Lawyer
If a tenant contests the eviction, it goes without saying that you will have to hire a lawyer, especially if you do not understand the law as well as the jargon used in court proceedings. To increase your chances of winning an eviction case, it’s pivotal to hire a reputable lawyer who understands eviction law as well as your rights.
Last Word
Evictions can be time consuming and costly and hence it’s advisable to gather as much information as you can on any tenants before you sign a contract. If you get into the unfortunate situation where you need to evacuate a tenant from your apartment, find the right lawyer to assist you with the matter.
