Renting a house or a unit should not only focus on before a tenant moves in and their stay in the rental. It should also include what happens after their lease ends or if they get evicted. Problems can still arise after the tenant is no longer in the property. For example, what should the landlords do with the belongings left behind?
The eviction process is very stressful for all the parties involved, including the landlord. Despite getting a tenant evicted, there are instances wherein they will refuse to leave the property, or they might leave some of their belongings behind. This kind of stuff happens, and landlords should know how to handle it, and rental agents must make sure that they were already dealt with before finding new tenants.
If the evicted tenant vacated the property and left a few things, the landlord is not allowed to automatically dispose of them. He should follow the correct process to avoid any complaints from the tenant. Here’s what the landlord should keep in mind:
• Determine the reason why they left
Knowing the reason why a tenant was evicted is an important factor. Different circumstances surround the situation, and the landlord should adapt the appropriate intervention. He must also consider the state laws regarding tenant eviction and their properties.
• Give opportunities to fetch their belongings
A landlord must give the tenant time to retrieve his belongings. It is reasonable, and this will help the landlord avoid legal issues about lost property. Some states have specific time frames on how long a tenant has to recover his belongings. If there is, the landlord must follow the proper protocol.
If there are no specific state laws regarding this, 7-10 days should be more than enough for them. If their belongings are of importance, they are likely to return for their stuff.
• Disposal and storage
If the evicted left a large number of items, the landlord must first segregate them. Those items which are considered trash and have zero value must be disposed of.
The landlord should list down and make an inventory of the remaining items. If possible, he can take pictures as documentation. The landlord should also remember not to tamper with the tenant’s belongings.
Although the evicted tenant may have caused problems, there is no reason to not take care of their belongings. These items are stored until the tenant comes back for them or until the period of retrieval ends. Some landlords will keep them in the property, but most of them will prefer to have a separate storage unit. Having a separate place for the items can help the landlord prepare the property for the next tenant. But this will also depend on the local state laws.
After all of this has been done, the landlord must send a notice to the evicted tenant. The notice must include:
• The list of items and their estimated value
• Where they can claim the items and the retrieval period
• How the items will be disposed of if they fail to come back for them
If the tenant fails to return, the landlord can either dispose of or sell the items. Some of the profit gained from selling can cover the cost of the landlord’s expenses.
• Avoid it in the future
One of the things that can help avoid this situation is to include a clause in the lease agreement. The clause will include the duration a landlord will keep their abandoned belongings and the special arrangements if the tenant is unable to retrieve all his things at once.
Once a tenant has been evicted, the first thought of the landlord is to get rid of the things inside the property. Disposing of the tenant’s items is a big no-no. This will only provoke the tenant to file a complaint against the landlord. It is best to follow the protocol even if it takes time.
When all of this is over, you can start helping the landlord find a new tenant. Sign up for Padleads and post property listings online. They will even let you syndicate it to other websites. It will give you more chances to publicize the listing and fill up that vacancy ASAP.