What is squatting?
Squatting speaks about the unlawful occupation of an uninhabited building or unused land. Said simply, for homeowners, a squatter is someone who occupies your property without your permission. This situation can likewise include former tenants who settle 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 rather difficult to lease to new tenants. To appropriately prevent squatters, it is essential to secure your property. If you do not want to stay near your rental home, reckon hiring 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 live 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 seriously more complex.
Another potential issue comes up if a squatter manages to turn on utilities at the property in their name. In various areas, doing so can establish legal residency, even while the squatter occupies your property without your permission. If this comes about, the police may classify the situation as civil rather than criminal.
If the police cannot assist you, the next proper step is to serve the unlawful occupant with an eviction notice. Merely providing this notice can usually encourage the squatter to move out voluntarily. But, take note, if they refuse to leave, you may need to file an unlawful detainer lawsuit, which will kick off formal eviction proceedings.
How long this process will take can vary depending on the efficacy of the court system in your state, taking anywhere from two weeks to several months. When you gain a judgment in your favor from the court, you can quickly enlist the local sheriff or police to remove the squatter on your behalf.
What to do with a squatter’s leftover property?
When you have successfully evicted your squatters, you need to properly address any personal property they may have left behind. Whether they left on purpose or were forcibly removed, it’s understandable for them to abandon some belongings.
The following steps are highly dependent on the laws in your area. In innumerable states, you may dispose of these items without consequence. Be that as it may, in other places, you may be required to store their belongings in a storage unit at your own expense. If the squatters do not claim their property and return to you the storage fees, you may have the right to auction off the items or dispose of them as stated by local regulations.
Handling squatters can be time-wasting and resource-intensive. To evade this, proactive management is critically key. At Real Property Management Delta, we adeptly operate tenant move-outs and fill vacancies as quickly as possible. An occupied rental property is both successfully profitable and free from squatters. For more invaluable details on our property management services in Newport, please contact us online or call 501-404-0674.