Vacant rental homes can swiftly become a source of significant distress. When a tenant moves out and no new occupant is found right away, these empty properties can attract unwanted attention. The empty spaces may truly look like an inviting opportunity for trespassers and squatters trying to get shelter. Without excellent oversight, what was once a vibrant home can rapidly spiral into an ignored shell, bringing in trouble and anxiety for landlords.
What is squatting?
Squatting speaks about the unlawful occupation of an uninhabited building or unused land. In plain terms, for homeowners, a squatter is someone who occupies your property without your permission. This situation can likewise take in former tenants who continue to stay on the property without paying rent after their lease has expired or been terminated.
Unlawful occupants can negatively impact your rental property and make it unmanageable to lease to new tenants. To satisfyingly prevent squatters, it is beneficial to secure your property. If you do not really live near your rental home, seriously look at hiring a property management company to monitor the property regularly and handle tenant turnover.
What to do at the first sign of a squatter?
If you notice a squatter on your property, you should immediately contact the police. The longer you don’t act about a squatter staying, the harder it will be to evict them later. Courts may interpret your failure to act as a sign of consent, making the eviction process harder.
Another potential issue arises if a squatter manages to turn on utilities at the property in their name. In several areas, doing so can establish legal residency, even as the squatter occupies your property without your permission. If this comes about, the police may, without doubt, classify the situation as civil rather than criminal.
If the police cannot assist you, the next course of action is to serve the unlawful occupant with an eviction notice. Just merely providing this notice can generally encourage the squatter to move out voluntarily. But, take note, if they refuse to leave, you may need to file an unlawful detainer lawsuit, which will set off formal eviction proceedings.
How long this process will take can vary depending on the working capacity of the court system in your state, taking anywhere from two weeks to several months. When you receive a judgment in your favor from the court, you can easily enlist the local sheriff or police to remove the squatter on your behalf.
What to do with a squatter’s leftover property?
If, as it happens, you have successfully evicted your squatters, you’ll have to clear up any personal property they may have left behind. Whether they left without coercion or were unwillingly removed, it’s realistic for them to abandon some belongings.
The following steps are largely depending on the laws in your area. In quite a few states, you may dispose of these items without consequence. Even so, in other places, you can be required to store their belongings in a storage unit at your own expense. If the squatters do not claim their property and pay you back the storage fees, you may have the right to auction off the items or dispose of them conditional on local regulations.
Handling squatters can be troublesome and resource-intensive. To eliminate this, proactive management is the critical key. At Real Property Management Key Response, we will satisfactorily take charge of tenant move-outs and easily fill vacancies. An occupied rental property is both prospering and free from squatters. For more essential details with regard to our property management services in Nashville, please contact us online or call 615-953-8700.
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