In the past year alone, Cleveland has seen 6,600 evictions.
If you're trying to evict a poor tenant, you must go about it the right way. Some laws protect both landlords and tenants; failing to obey them can result in serious penalties, especially for landlords.
If you want to understand the procedural requirements, we're here to help. In today's post, we'll tell you everything landlords need to know about evictions in Cleveland. Keep reading and make sure you're doing everything by the books.
Reasons to Evict
There are two main reasons you can evict a tenant in Ohio. One is nonpayment of rent and the other is a lease violation, which can encompass a wide range of actions, from degrading living conditions to bringing in an unauthorized pet. A third reason would be that the tenant conducted illegal activity in the unit.
Before you send an official notice to evict a tenant, the best course of action is to try and reason with them. Give them a warning and let them know that they'll be receiving an eviction notice if they continue on the same path.
Sending a Notice
When you get to the point that you want to evict a tenant, you need to send them an official eviction notice. In Ohio, all types of infractions are served with a 3-day notice.
Nonpayment of rent gets a 3-day notice to pay or quit, lease violations get a 3-day notice to cure or quit, and illegal activity gets an unconditional 3-day quit notice. The first two notices give the tenant 3 days to fix the issue or leave the premises, while illegal activity simply gives them 3 days to leave.
If the tenant fails to fix the issue or vacate the property, you can head to the constable's office and file an eviction. Both parties will then be given a hearing date when they can present their case.
Preparing for Eviction Court
When preparing for an eviction hearing, you'll need to gather as much evidence as possible of the tenant's misdeeds. This might include photographic evidence of damage, bank statements showing nonpayment of rent, or correspondence with the tenant.
If your case is successful, the tenant will be ordered to vacate the property by a certain date. Failing to do so will result in forcible removal by the local authorities.
What Not to Do
It's important to know what not to do as a landlord. Tenants have rights, so you can't change door locks, remove a tenant's belongings, or shut off the utilities without a court order.
Following the process laid out above is the most streamlined way to evict a tenant. If you go rogue, your tenant will have grounds to sue, which will cost you money and prolong the eviction.
Property Management and Evictions
There's no denying that evictions can be incredibly stressful. If you don't want to deal with one, the best thing to do is hire a property manager.
Property management services can help you deal with evictions, in addition to offering eviction protection. This ensures you don't have to pay out of pocket for the cost of evictions.
PMI CLE eAgent is one of the top property management services in Ohio. If you need help with tenant screening and management, contact us today.
