Steps to take after evicting a tenant

By Jeremy Raglin | October 5, 2020

Eviction is always the last resort for a landlord because they would rather have a tenant who pays their rent on time every month and doesn’t cause problems for them.

Sadly, eviction do happen and they are a solution that landlords have to turn to from time to time.

If you’re a new or long time landlord, there are several steps that you must follow after evicting a tenant including the following:

5 Steps to Take After Evicting a Tenant

1. Change the locks.

Changing the locks is the first step to take after taking back control of the rental unit. And it would be best if you changed the locks the moment the tenant vacates the property—not the next day or the day after. You never know how many copies of keys the tenant made.

It’s also crucial to remember that you can’t change the locks before the court orders the eviction. Preventing the tenant access to the property in a “self-help” eviction is illegal. In the end, the tenant could sue you for wrongful eviction.

2. Check for and document any damage.

Due to the nature of evictions, it’s not usually possible to inspect the property with the tenant. Evictions are the end of a long and soured landlord-tenant relationship. If tenants know an eviction will happen, they may cause damage to the property. So, make sure that everything is in working order after the tenant leaves.

If there is damage to the property, you can take this out of the tenant’s security deposit. However, you’ll need to send an itemized list of the damaged items, cleaning costs, and unpaid utilities. You are entitled to keep part or all of the deposit to cover expenses related to the breach of contract.

3. Repair the property

After evicting, there is usually more damage than regular wear and tear. Getting the property up to a rentable standard may require extensive repairs. In some cases, you can tackle small tasks; in other cases, you may need to hire contractors.

4. Clean the property.

The next step is to clean the property thoroughly. This is usually vital even when a responsible tenant moves out. So, after getting rid of a troublesome tenant, cleaning is always necessary. But remember that a clean property will attract better tenants in the future.

5. Thoroughly inspect everything.

The last step is to do a thorough inspection of the rental unit. Ensuring that everything is in working order and functional will help make certain that future tenants are happy living there with no complaints.