Notice Received by Tenants | Average Timeline |
---|---|
Issuing an Official Notice | 3-30 days |
Issuing and Serving of Summons and Complaint | At least 6 days before the hearing |
Court Hearing and Judgment for Possession | 6 days after Service of Summons and Complaint |
Issuance of Writ of Possession | 10 days |
The amount of time the tenant has to move out or fix a certain problem before an eviction suit is filed. This must be at least 3 days unless the lease specifically states otherwise.
Once the time stated in the notice to vacate has passed, a landlord can file a suit to evict. This suit should be filed in the justice court where the rental property is located. If you are a landlord and do not wish to eFile the petition for an eviction suit, please check with your justice court for a form for the petition.
A written notification that the landlord would like the tenant to move out because the tenant has broken the lease is called a "notice to vacate.". Texas law is very specific about how the notice must be given to ...
Step 1: Notice to Vacate. Unless the lease agreement says otherwise, the landlord must give the tenant at least 3 days to move out. They cannot file an eviction suit before they give this notice in writing. The federal CARES Act requires a 30 day notice if the property participates in certain federal programs or the property owner has a federally-backed mortgage.
This form from the Texas Tenant Advisor can be used to request a jury in your eviction hearing in justice court. (Available through the Internet Archive.)
If the notice is given in person or sent via the mail, the time given to move out before the landlord files an eviction suit starts running once it is delivered . If it is attached to the outside of the main entrance, the time starts running once the notice is affixed to the outside of the door, regardless of when the copy in the mail is delivered.
Step 4 (optional): Appeal. If the tenant files an appeal, the hearing cannot take place for at least 8 days.
Once you have filed, the court will review your case. If they believe you have a valid eviction case, both you and the tenant will be contacted with a date and time for your hearing.
The number one thing that you need to do before you start any type of eviction proceedings is to ensure that you have a legal reason for evicting the tenant. Even though it is your property, you cannot simply force a tenant to move out because you feel like it.
You should never do any of the following illegal actions: Changing the locks on a property where the tenant that won’t leave. Forcibly removing the tenant or their belongings yourself. Harassing or blackmailing the tenants. Turning off any utilities. Finally, remember that eviction is part of the rental business.
Many landlords rush to fill their properties as quickly as possible, but choosing great tenants can help lower the chance that you will end up in an eviction hearing with them down the line. And using a high-quality tenant screening service can help you do just that. Choose your tenants wisely, and you’ll be more satisfied with the results.
The best way to prevent it from becoming a nightmare is to be knowledgeable about the right way to handle eviction proceedings. Otherwise, you could end up digging yourself into a hole that will wind up costing more than a standard eviction!
Once you have a date and time for your eviction hearing, it is time to prepare. Gather up all relevant documentation that you have about the property and the problems that you are having with the tenant. This might include the following:
These are some of the most common, valid eviction reasons that you may need to use during your time as a landlord: Nonpayment of rent. Consistently late rental payments. Lease violations (extra roommates, pets on property, etc.) Intentional damage to the property. Health or safety violations.
How Evictions Work: What Renters Need to Know. Landlords can't just lock you out, even if you are behind on rent. They must get a court judgment first. Your landlord can't evict you without terminating the tenancy first. This usually means giving you adequate written notice, in a specified way and form. If you don't move after receiving proper ...
Check your local court's website for more information about the status of eviction lawsuits where you live. Also, consider looking into obtaining assistance from federal, state, local, private, or non-profit sources .
Following receipt of a termination notice, if you haven't moved out or fixed the lease or rental agreement violation, the landlord must properly serve you with a summons and complaint for eviction in order to proceed with the eviction. The court will set a date and time for a hearing or trial before a judge.
If you don't move after receiving proper notice (or else reform your ways—for example, by paying the rent or finding a new home for the dog), the landlord can file a lawsuit to evict you. This type of lawsuit is sometimes called an unlawful detainer, or UD lawsuit. In order to win, the landlord must prove that you did something wrong ...
A 30-Day Notice to Vacate or a 60-Day Notice to Vacate to terminate a tenancy can be used in most states when the landlord does not have a reason to end the tenancy. (The length of the required notice might be slightly longer or shorter in some states.)
These laws are known as "just cause eviction protection." (Tenants in only a couple of states—New Jersey and New Hampshire—also enjoy just cause eviction protection.)
Although terminology varies somewhat from state to state, there are basically three types of termination notices that you might receive if you have violated the rental agreement or lease in some way: Pay Rent or Quit Notices, which are typically given to someone who has not paid the rent.
Notice of Eviction by Certified Mail. The most effective way to serve a notice of eviction is to send the notice via certified mail with a return receipt. After this is done, the notice of eviction is posted conspicuously on the property, such as the front door or garage. It is important to note that the landlord may not do things such as change ...
A notice of eviction, or a notice to quit, is served by a property owner when they wish to terminate a rental agreement with their tenant or the party in possession of the property, and remove them from the premises. A notice of eviction is usually served when a tenant has fallen behind on the rent or has damaged or abused the property.
A 3-day notice to quit is used to terminate a tenancy when the tenant has failed to pay rent, violate provisions of the rental agreement, is utilizing the property for an illegal purpose, has caused damage to the property or has created a nuisance. A 30-day notice to quit can be used to terminate ...
A 30-day notice to quit can be used to terminate a tenancy of a residential property that has been in duration for less than one year. A 60-day notice to quit can be used to terminate a tenancy of a residential property that has been in duration for more than one year.
A landlord can hire a process server or professional service that will handle the actual serving of the notice of eviction to the tenant. The problem with this is that many times the tenant is not easy to serve when they are behind on the rent and know the landlord is looking for them.
It is important to note that the landlord may not do things such as change the locks or shut off power or water to the property during an eviction process. Once the notice is properly served, it is up to the local authorities to enforce the order if the tenants do not comply.
There are also certain circumstances that require a specialized notice to quit. If a tenant's rent is subsidized, a longer notice to quit must be given. It is important to understand the specific laws for your state and area, and it is recommended to check with your local rental board.
If they do not, then a case has to be filed in court with an eviction notice and request a hearing. If as a landlord you miss out on any details, the judge may rule the case in favor of the tenant and you have to start the process over again costing more time and money. Read More….
Fast Eviction Service always recommends using a registered process server because they are knowledgeable about state and process serving laws and will deliver documents in compliance with those laws so that you are protected by the laws of the Court.
If the tenant fails to comply with the notice they are served, the next step is to take legal proceedings against them and file an Unlawful Detainer.
Eviction is the only legal procedure to regain possession of your rental property from a tenant. Landlords must understand that each state has its own specific set of rules for tenant eviction . Any failure abiding by these rules on the landlord’s part can result in legal problems and delays resulting in the entire eviction process being thrown out of court and requiring it to be restarted afresh – costing you more lost time and money. Read More…
Personal service is handing the notice to the person named on the Eviction Notice. The notice is served by the landlord. Sub-serving. If you knock on the door, and someone answers who does not identify themselves and you aren’t actually sure if they are the named defendant, then it is permissible to serve a competent member ...
Sometimes commercial lease agreements specify that you must serve by registered mail.
The Eviction Notice that you serve to the tenant is not individually filed in a court of law at the time you serve the notice to the tenant. The Eviction Notice is prepared and first served to the occupant and there is a waiting period for the tenant’s compliance.
In Virginia, landlords can evict tenants for a lease violation. The landlord must give tenants a 30-Day Notice to Comply, which provides them with 21 days to fix the issue. Should the tenant be unable to resolve the issue within 21 days, the tenant has the remaining 9 days to vacate the rental property.
The Writ of Eviction is issued 10 days after the landlord wins the case. It is delivered to the tenant 15-30 days once received by the law enforcement officials. Tenants then have 72 hours to vacate the property.
Once the landlord wins the case and provided the tenant does not file for an appeal or reconsideration, the court will issue a Writ of Possession —but often known as a Writ of Eviction in the state of Virginia—upon the landlord's request.
The first step to any eviction is providing an eviction notice. This notice is usually a form that is filled out by the landlord that details the tenant's violation and whether or not a tenant can fix the issue.
The Summons and Complaint must be served at least 10 days before an eviction hearing is scheduled.
Personal Service: The Summons and Complaint is served to the tenant in person.
The state of Virginia allows a professional process server, a sheriff, or individuals who are at least 18 years old and uninvolved in the case to serve the document. Anyone in the sheriff's office may also deliver the documents.
It depends on what state you’re in and your reason for evicting the tenant. You need to give the tenant the proper number of days’ notice required by your state depending upon the nature of their violation.
The fastest way to evict a tenant is to follow the correct legal procedure from the beginning so you don’t wind up in a lengthy lawsuit. Make sure you have evidence of the tenant’s violation and deliver notice as quickly as possible. To get started, create your eviction notice using our builder or download a free template.
If the tenant doesn’t fix the problem or move out, the landlord can file a lawsuit to evict the tenant. In court, a judge will hear the case and decide whether the tenant can stay.
If a landlord doesn’t follow the proper procedures for delivering the notice, the tenant can challenge the eviction process and force the landlord to re-start the whole process. This is why you need to consult your local housing laws to evict a tenant properly.
It costs nothing to create your own eviction letter, but you may need to pay the cost of certified mail delivery to serve the notice to your tenant.
Pay penalties since some states require landlords to pay up to $100 per day for each day for unlawful self-help
Lease Expired: staying after the lease expires, is canceled, or is terminated (hold over)
Evicting a tenant in Virginia can take around 2 to 4 months depending on the type of eviction being filed. If tenants request a jury trial, the process can take even longer ( read more ).
The summons and complaint must be served on the tenant by a sheriff, professional process server, or anyone over the age of 18 not part of the case, at least 10 days prior to the hearing.
If the tenant remains on the property after the notice period expires, the landlord may proceed with the eviction process.
In the state of Virginia, if tenants “hold over,” or stay in the rental unit after the rental term has expired, then the landlord must give tenants notice before evicting them. This can include tenants without a written lease and week-to-week and month-to-month tenants.
If the tenant commits a breach that is not remediable, the landlord may serve a written notice on the tenant specifying the acts and omissions constituting the breach and stating that the rental agreement will terminate upon a date not less than 30 days after receipt of the notice. VA Code §55.1-1245 (2019)
No Lease / End of Lease Term (Tenant at Will) – If there is no lease or the term of the lease has ended, the landlord does not need any additional reason to end the tenancy as long as proper notice is given.
In the Arlington Circuit Court, this costs $151 in filing fees.