One of the most common concerns and fears of a landlord is having to evict their tenants. When a tenant is in violation of their lease, a landlord has the opportunity to evict the tenant in order to protect their income stream and investment.
Evictions can be a last resort for landlords who have tenants who:
- cannot or refuse to pay rent
- violate the lease or rental agreement
- commit a serious act, such as crime or violence
Evictions can be costly though, so it’s best to plan to avoid them by implementing screening procedures. This blog post addresses the most common questions that landlords and investors have about evictions and their answers.
How long does an eviction take?
In the Denver Metro area, evictions can take up to two months to be completed. This is because there is a legal process that must be followed in order to avoid additional liability and to treat the tenant fairly. The tenant in lease violation must first be posted, with a three day notice to pay or vacate/quit. If they do not respond appropriately, then, the eviction process begins.
All cities across the Denver Metro area are faced with evictions taking longer, as the number of them are on the rise, and there are not enough judges and sheriffs to keep up with the growing amount of evictions. It’s important to note that no city is immune to the problem and cities such as Broomfield, Aurora or Arvada CO are equally affected by the increased number of evictions.
How much does it cost?
There are a handful of fees involved with an eviction, and the amount of fees can differ, depending on the property management company and the cooperation level of the tenant.
Examples of fees that can exist are:
- posting fees for the property manager that posts the property
- legal fees for counsel of the landlord
- sheriff’s fees for having the sheriff present
- sometimes there are labor costs if the tenants do not move out their belonging on their own
- costs to haul away the trash and junk left behind
What can I do to avoid needing to evict my tenants?
It’s impossible to guarantee that you will not end up with a tenant that needs to be evicted, but there are things you can do as a landlord or investor to protect yourself.
The best way to do this is by implementing a strict and consistent screening process. The best and most effective screening processes check for things such income (and verify it), credit score, and criminal background. It’s crucially important to verify the information that potential tenants provide. Renting your property to someone who cannot be confidently financially responsible for it, is not a solution for anyone.
Colorado Realty and Property Management, Inc. is happy to provide more information on the screening process.
