Tenant in jail

[Dean Boyer]

We have a tenant that I inherited from the purchase.  Just found out he went to jail and then after jail he goes to rehab.  What is the best approach the make sure he is gone?  Can we get him to sign something that says we can move his things to a storage unit?

[Patricia Steiner]

What does your lease say?  Is he technically in default?  Rent paid?  If the rent is not paid, handle this as any other non-payment of rent scenario.  State laws are specific as to disposition of personal items and storage requirements.  The best things you can do are review your lease and then do an online search for your state's landlord/tenant law on 'abandoned property of tenant.'  Be careful to document every item, photograph it, and follow the law to the nth degree because this is the stuff of tenant lawsuits.

Best...