Tenant Disappeared... What now?

Question

Hello BP community!

I have an interesting situation at my house-hacked duplex (I live in one side & rent the other).  My tenant has not payed rent this month and he is no-where to be found. I have left a number of voicemail's and text messages with the tenant asking to speak with him - he has not responded to any of them.  I have also reached out to his parents & girlfriend via Facebook asking for them to have him reach out to me.  Both replied and the mother stated he was staying with his girlfriend and sister (30-45 min drive from rented unit).

That has been going on for the past 20 days... with no response from the tenant.

My first thought was that he did not plan on coming back, but you can tell from looking in the window that all of his personal items are still in the unit (TV, mattress, clothes, etc.).  I have not seen him at the unit during the month of September.

So here is the question: Without giving legal advice (as a disclaimer) - has anyone run into this problem? Do you have to go through the eviction process if there is no one living in the unit?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!!

Thanks,

Andrea & Tyler

Gail K. · Answer

Your tenant has not paid rent this month.  Begin the legal process of eviction based on this.

Gail

Thomas S. · Answer

Post a notice to enter the property to inspect and begin the process to evict. Study your state codes so that in the future you know how to proceed in any situation.

You will probably be better off getting rid of this tenant if he is this irresponsible.

Call his mommy back and tell her you are going to evict him.

Account Closed · Answer

Does your lease have an abandonment clause? Use it to regain control of your property, it's easier than eviction. Good luck.

Richard Ball · Answer

Account Closed Next time send the 7 day notice no later then the 3rd. You don't have to evict at the end of the 7 days but waiting until the 24th is not how you run a business. Now you will not be getting paid for September or October and trying to rent in November, December and January is hard. Take whatever you get a month and times it by how many months you will not be collecting rent and that is how much you just paid for that lesson.

Mindy Jensen · Answer

Not sure the laws in Michigan, Account Closed, but if any grace period has passed, start the eviction process immediately. He hasn't paid the rent that he owes you. Get his attention with the eviction notice so he pays his rent, or get him out so you can get someone in who DOES pay rent.

Account Closed · Answer

We sent this 7-day Notice to Quit via certified mail and posted on the door of the unit for good measure.

We also texted him to let him know about the Notice to Quit and (despite not responding to a single text, call, or voicemail for the past month), he immediately texted back and said "sorry for the inconvenience, in that case I'll be out by Sunday."

I'm hoping he keeps his word on this one but if not, we are prepared to take him to court.

Account Closed · Answer

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice. Eviction it is!

Deanna McCormick · Answer

I would post 24 hour notice of entry , tape it over the lock so you know for sure if he's tried to enter when you haven't noticed.Leave the pay or quit notice same day as you post 24 hour notice of entry. As suggested taking photo's once your in is good. Any mail backed up in the box?

I would call the emergency contact say you are concerned and wonder if there is a medical emergency you have tried to contact xxx and wonder if he has a new contact number, if you can't reach him in by morning you will be forced to take legal action regarding the apartment.

Then file if you have no response as soon as you can.

Thomas S. · Answer

I see landlords in court all the time that have stalled and waited only ending up farther and further in debt due to non paying tenants. I serve on the second of the month for non payment and the court is full of corporate landlord representatives that always do the same. Mom and pop desperately try to collect 2,3,4 months back rent and have no clue what they are doing.

All states have landlord/tenant regulations for a reason that spell out how to operate your business. Not following those guidelines is negligent. Act quickly, fix the problem and do not repeat this error. Good luck.

Kurt K. · Answer

Get the eviction process in play ASAP. In court you can get a judgment against him for non-payment of rent but I usually don't get paid. All I do is ding their credit. Good luck.

Tenant Disappeared... What now?

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