What is squatting?
Squatting speaks about the unlawful occupation of an uninhabited building or unused land. In plain language, for homeowners, a squatter is someone who occupies your property without your permission. Particularly, this situation can likewise include former tenants who remain staying 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 complex to lease to new tenants. To fruitfully prevent squatters, it is integral to secure your property. If you are not staying near your rental home, better to hire 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 enable a squatter to dwell 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 burdensome.
Another potential issue exists if a squatter manages to turn on utilities at the property in their name. In numerous areas, doing so can establish legal residency, although the squatter occupies your property without your permission. If this arises, the police may 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. Merely providing this notice can usually encourage the squatter to move out voluntarily. Except, if they refuse to leave, you may need to file an unlawful detainer lawsuit, which will kickstart formal eviction proceedings.
The duration of this process can vary depending on the functionality and efficacy of the court system in your state, taking anywhere from two weeks to several months. If you obtain 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 by any chance you have successfully evicted your squatters, you’ll be obligated to take care of any personal property they may have left behind. Whether they left without urging or were firmly removed, it’s common for them to abandon some belongings.
The following steps hinge on the laws in your area. In a few states, you may dispose of these items without consequence. That being said, in other places, you could most certainly 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 for the storage fees, you may have the right to auction off the items or dispose of them based on local regulations.
Handling squatters can be hard and resource-intensive. To prevent this, proactive management is vitally key. At Real Property Management Colonial, we fruitfully handle tenant move-outs and hastily fill vacancies. An occupied rental property is both greatly profitable and free from squatters. For more pertinent details referring to our property management services in Vinton, please contact us online or call 540-595-7411.
Originally Published on November 16, 2018