What to Do if a Tenant Abandons the Property

Have you ever had a tenant leave in the middle of the night or the middle of an eviction? Did you ever wonder what to do? Basically when a tenant abandons the property, you do not need to file an eviction or wait for the sheriff. You can change the locks. As for the tenant’s stuff, in most states you can simply toss it. You should check your state or local law to see what your legal obligation is to store the items for the tenant.

However…

If you are not certain whether the tenant has abandoned the property, you should not change the locks. If you have the keys, you could enter the premises, but knock first. Whether or not the tenant has abandoned is often a judgment call, looking at a combination of factors, such as:
(more…)