Tenant (CA) Vacated Room w/out notice to LL before Eviction

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Tenant (CA) Vacated Room w/out notice to LL before Eviction

Tony Wang
Member since 2019 · 9 posts · 0 votes

Hi BP,

We have a tenant that MIGHT have vacated from the room rental without completing a final inspection walk-thru that was previously agreed upon.  I have knocked on her door, though no sign of anyone inside room for about 4 days now.  We are in process of eviction.  She does have her couple items left outside her room and MIGHT be more inside the locked room, though I do not know for sure because I do not care to enter her room without advance notice to her. 

What are the CORRECT, LEGAL protocols to make at this juncture?  Do I text/call her? Do I text her to give her advance notice of my intent to enter the room?  She could have moved out, or if worse, fallen ill inside her room, and I wouldn't know.  Mean time, she is practically squatting without paying rent and we must resolve this mini crisis because we are loosing rental income for couple months now and hefty eviction/court fees as the days drag on.  Please help!  Your advise and insight are much appreciated.

AY

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  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    7y

    Post written notice on the door that you intend to enter 24 hours later. The law requires you to notify them; it does not require you to schedule a time that they are present. 

    Inspect and verify if she is still there or not. Odds are pretty good that she left and you can simply clean the place and move on. She may have left junk of little value so I recommend you take pictures of what was left behind and then dispose of everything. If she comes back to claim anything, which is unlikely, she would first have to pay all the unpaid rent and late fees, plus any moving and storage costs. In nearly a decade of managing hundreds of rentals, I've never had a single tenant abandon a place and then come back later to collect something they left behind.

    In the future, you should never let things go this long. Once the tenant is late, hit them with a stiff late fee. Shortly after that, start the eviction process. 

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  • Bob B.
    Investor · Jasper GA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    What does your local laws say about inspecting the property?  Have you already filed for eviction?  

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