Vacant rental homes can hastily become a source of huge distress. When a tenant moves out and no new occupant is found straight off, these empty properties can attract unwanted attention. The empty spaces may truly seem like an inviting opportunity for trespassers and squatters hunting for shelter. Without exceptional oversight, what was once a vibrant home can spiral into an untended shell, resulting in trouble and anxiety for landlords.
What is squatting?
Squatting applies to the unlawful occupation of an uninhabited building or unused land. In clear terms, for homeowners, a squatter is someone who occupies your property without your permission. Indeed, this situation also counts former tenants who dwell 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 exhaustingly difficult to lease to new tenants. To effectively prevent squatters, it is necessary to secure your property. If you do not live near your rental home, weigh on 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 let a squatter stay, 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 more exhausting.
Another potential issue certainly arises if a squatter manages to turn on utilities at the property in their name. In various areas, doing so can establish legal residency, even though the squatter occupying your property is without your permission. If this happens, the police may immediately classify the situation as civil rather than criminal.
If the police cannot assist you, the next procedure is to serve the unlawful occupant with an eviction notice. Simply providing this notice can generally encourage the squatter to move out voluntarily. But, in fact, if they refuse to leave, you may need to file an unlawful detainer lawsuit, which will likewise set up formal eviction proceedings.
The duration of this process can vary depending on the adequacy of the court system in your state, taking anywhere from two weeks to several months. When you receive 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?
If, as it happens, you have successfully evicted your squatters, you’ll need to find a solution to any personal property they may have left behind. Whether they left willfully or were forcefully removed, it’s reasonable for them to abandon some belongings.
The following steps bank on the laws in your area. In certain states, you may dispose of these items without consequence. Nevertheless, in other places, you will most likely be required to store their belongings in a storage unit at your own expense. If the squatters do not claim their property and settle up with you for the storage fees, you may have the right to auction off the items or dispose of them as specified by local regulations.
Handling squatters can be labor as well as resource-intensive. To avoid this, proactive management is vital. At Real Property Management Prime, we advantageously work on tenant move-outs and quickly fill vacancies. An occupied rental property is both fruitful and free from squatters. For more relevant details with regards to our property management services in Baltimore City, please contact us online or call 410-415-1736.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
