Planning for all eventualities is essential for any landlord.
If you own rental properties, then you need to put measures in place to protect your investments. Even with the best tenant screening practices, you can't know what a tenant will be like until they're living in your property.
No property owner wants to resort to being a part of one of the 3.6 million evictions that occur each year. That said, sometimes you have no choice but to take action, which is where an eviction protection plan comes into play.
Today, we'll look at eviction protection strategies. Keep reading to learn more about eviction laws and the right and wrong ways to evict a tenant.
Eviction Laws in Sterling, VA
According to Virginia law, you can evict a tenant for nonpayment of rent, violation of the law, and repeated violations of the rental agreement. As far as the eviction process goes, you always start with a notice.
On the notice, the tenant will have a court date giving them the option of fighting their case. If they choose to do so, both parties will present evidence and a judgment will come down from the court. Once you're successful in court, you can give the official eviction notice for the tenant to vacate.
You must follow the correct steps or risk losing the eviction case. Even when the steps are followed, evictions can be stressful and costly for landlords.
Preventing an Eviction
The best way to prevent an eviction is to thoroughly screen any and all new tenants. By performing criminal background checks, credit checks, calling landlord references, and validating employment, you can get a good sense of a potential tenant's quality.
In the event a tenant is risking eviction, it's important to communicate with them before starting the eviction process. Showing some leniency for late rent payments and understanding other issues can help bolster your eviction case should the issues continue.
You should only begin the eviction once you're sure there's no way to rectify the situation. Avoiding the trials and tribulations of eviction can only come with an eviction protection strategy.
Eviction Protection Strategies
When you're an independent landlord, you have to deal with the eviction alone. This involves compiling evidence, paying court fees, as well as legal fees. Once you factor in the missed rent due to the vacancy after an eviction, you're out a lot of money.
It's for this reason that you should hire a property manager. Eviction protection programs take the eviction out of your hands.
At PMI, for example, you can subscribe to our eviction protection program and have us deal with the entire thing. Not only will we perform all aspects of the eviction, but we'll also compensate you for the associated costs up to $2,000.
When Evicting a Tenant Is the Only Way
Making the decision to evict a tenant is a big one, but with eviction protection, you take a lot of the headache out of it. Having a property manager who knows how to screen tenants and look after your property makes your life as a landlord so much easier.
PMI Loudoun is Sterling's top property management option. To learn more about our services and how we can help you maximize your investment, contact us today.
