Vacant rental homes can, indeed, become a source of extreme distress. When a tenant moves out and no new occupant is found swiftly, these empty properties can attract unwanted attention. The empty spaces may be inviting for trespassers and squatters searching for shelter. Without exact oversight, what was once a vibrant home can spiral into a forsaken shell, bringing trouble and anxiety for landlords.
What is squatting?
Squatting makes reference to the unlawful occupation of an uninhabited building or unused land. Simply speaking, for homeowners, a squatter is someone who occupies your property without your permission. This situation can, in like manner, include former tenants who 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 taxing to lease to new tenants. To efficiently prevent squatters, it is relevant to secure your property. If you are not staying near your rental home, look into 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 do nothing regarding a squatter who lives there, 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 more complicated.
Another potential issue happens if a squatter manages to turn on utilities at the property in their name. In several areas, doing so can establish legal residency, though the squatter occupies your property without your permission. If this develops, the police may immediately classify the situation as civil rather than criminal.
If the police cannot assist you, the subsequent act is to serve the unlawful occupant with an eviction notice. Just simply providing this notice can characteristically encourage the squatter to move out voluntarily. Having said that, if they refuse to leave, you may need to file an unlawful detainer lawsuit, which will, in turn, kick off formal eviction proceedings.
The length of time for this process can vary depending on the functionality of the court system in your state, taking anywhere from two weeks to several months. When you come by a judgment in your favor from the court, you can immediately enlist the local sheriff or police to remove the squatter on your behalf.
What to do with a squatter’s leftover property?
In the case that you have successfully evicted your squatters, you’ll be required to act on any personal property they may have left behind. Whether they left without urging or were removed with force, it’s comprehensible for them to abandon some belongings.
The following steps are influenced by the laws in your area. In lots of states, you may dispose of these items without consequence. But, as a matter of fact, in other places, you may be required to store their belongings in a storage unit at your own expense. If the squatters do not claim their property and give you payment for the storage fees, you may have the right to auction off the items or dispose of them, according to local regulations.
Handling squatters can be demanding and resource-intensive. To keep this off, proactive management is essential. At Real Property Management Focus, we expertly handle tenant move-outs and quickly fill vacancies. An occupied rental property is both gainful and free from squatters. For more significant details regarding our property management services in Anna, please contact us online or call 773-443-7439.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
