Eviction is a big topic, and today we are talking about how to handle them or maybe avoid them. It is very expensive to do an eviction. The first thing I always advise Santa Cruz owners to do when they have an issue with a tenant is to pick up the phone and call the person. Try to open a dialogue and find out what’s going on in their life. For example, if they are late with rent, find out if they are going to continue being late and if something has changed in their financial circumstances or situation. Maybe you can help downsize them into a smaller unit you own or give them a good reference to a place they can better afford.
I also like to explain to tenants during that phone call what the consequences will be if they don’t correct their actions and we are forced to evict. They will end up with a ruined credit report that includes a landlord eviction. For most tenants, this means that no one will want to rent to them in the future. Letting them know what the next steps will be ahead of time is important because it might make them more willing to work with you to avoid the eviction and try to move on.
Another thing to remember is to follow through on your 3 Day Notice. If you do post a notice and they do not respond, or the three days come and go without any payment or contact, do not accept any money from them after that point. If you have decided it is best to get them out of your property, you don’t want to take any type of payment. If you accept the money, you have to start the process all over again.
Find a good landlord/tenant attorney and turn everything over to that professional. If a mediator calls on behalf of the tenant, or the tenant’s attorney calls or the tenants themselves contact you begging to let them stay because they have no place to go, simply refer them to your attorney. Once you have the lawyer involved, you can step out of the process and let the experts handle this the way it has to be handled.
Everyone has their own stories about eviction and what they have to do to get through the process. If you need help with a specific situation, or you’d just like more information about the eviction process, please contact us at Portola Property Management.
