Tenant Living in Garage/Shop!

[Chris Hertig]

We recently purchased a multi-family property and have someone living illegally in an uninhabitable, detached garage.  He continues to deny he lives there, lied to the police when they came with a code violation and inspection, and most recently overloaded the electrical and blew/snapped the line!  All this in addition to 6 other lease violations... 

Unfortunately, the previous owners used the same lease for this garage space as they used for the residential units.  Does anyone know how or if evictions from a utility space/garage differs from a residential eviction?  

Thank you!

[Patricia Steiner]

Send a Lease Violation Notice immediately - by mail with proof of delivery required (cheap date through post office) and or affix the notice in a envelope with his name on it on the door of the unit.  The violation - depending on your state - will provide a 'cure period' before eviction proceedings would begin.  The violations would include 'the personal occupation of a garage as residence' while asserting to police that he didn't live in it, along with the power overloads due to use not in keeping with a garage rental.  

Your state law and notice can be found online.  Until you give him notice, you're just nagging.  Forget the lease type that the last owner used...just give the notice.  The guy has already stated that he doesn't live there so that alone proves that he knows that was never the intended use (is their a police report or statement for your file?).

Hope this helps.  Fun business, huh?