How Much Does an Eviction Really Cost?

Evictions are expensive. Like, really expensive. I know what you’re probably looking for here is an exact dollar amount, and by the end of this post, I will give you one. I have to preface that by saying that this amount is not guaranteed though, because there are so many factors involved that are variable. Every eviction will come at a different final cost. So what I’ll do is provide a scenario, and base my figures off that so at least you have an idea.

But before I get into numbers, let’s talk a bit about eviction and why you might choose this course of action. Booting someone out of a rental property is a stressful and potentially complicated process. You’re likely dealing with some serious emotions, like anger or rage in some cases, but you can’t act on them. You have stay calm and do everything by the law - and trust me, there are extensive laws in place to protect both owners and tenants. Eviction isn’t a decision one takes lightly. Some of the reasons to proceed down this path might include the tenant’s repeated failure to pay, damage to the property, or a default on lease terms. In those cases, it makes more sense to bite the bullet and evict.

(Shameless turnkey plug: using a turnkey provider for your investments drastically reduces your chances of having to deal with an eviction. Turnkey properties are often already tenanted when you buy them, and those tenants have undergone strict vetting processes to ensure they are high-quality, paying renters who won’t trash your place. End plug.)

So let’s look at some of the real costs you can expect to see with an eviction. https://americantenantscreen.com/how-much-will-it-cost-to-evict-my-tenants/ These will include but are not limited to:

• Lost rent payments
• Court filing fees
• Fees paid to local sheriff’s department to serve papers to tenant
• Miscellaneous filing fees
• Attorney’s fees
• Costs to remove tenant’s property that’s been left at the unit
• Repair costs in case of damage beyond normal wear and tear
• Property turnover costs (professional cleaning, advertising/marketing for new tenants)
• Time and stress

To give you an idea of what this all could realistically add up to, I’m going to present a fictional scenario with some of these blanks filled in. Here’s the criteria I’m going with:

Property: 3-bedroom single-family home in Kansas City, MO

Rental fee: $1,150

Lease term: 12 months

Extra details: Renter has failed to make payments for 2 months (6 months before lease expires)

Using the bulleted list of costs above and applying most of them to our scenario, we can draw the following conclusions about the overall cost of an eviction:

• Lost rent payments: $2,300
• Court filing fees: $100
• Miscellaneous filing fees: $50
• Attorney’s fees: $500
• Costs to clear out unit: $600
• Repair costs: $1,000
• Property turnover costs: $750
• Time and stress: Priceless (but I need to put a dollar amount here, so I’m going with $2,000)

TOTAL: $7,300

Of course, some of these numbers are just ballparks, like repairs and attorney’s fees. You won’t know exactly what these will amount to unless you find yourself in an eviction situation. These calculations also don’t include the downtime between tenants. What if it takes you 3 months to find a new renter? That’s another $3,450 you’re missing out on in rent payments!

So yeah, evictions are expensive. As a property owner, it’s in your best interest to do everything you can to avoid an eviction. One of the best steps you can take is to be proactive with your investment strategy and choose to work with a reputable turnkey provider. The properties being offered by the turnkey company are not only move-in ready, they’re also occupied, or soon to be occupied, by high-quality renters who represent a lower risk in terms of eviction. Avoid all this stress and expense and go turnkey!