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Tenant turnover is always a difficult time, especially if it happens without proper notice. Normally, if a tenant plans to move out of your property, you are going to want them to provide you with written notice in advance. This allows you to take the time to properly screen new potential tenants before the property becomes vacant. However, occasionally you will encounter a tenant who suddenly disappears. Mail begins piling up at the unit, rent payments stop and you cannot reach the tenant to find out what is going on.
So what do you do with a tenant abandoned unit?
Naturally, this is a frustrating situation, not only have you lost rental income but now you have the burden of cleaning the unit, disposing of any belongings the tenant left behind and finding a new tenant to occupy the unit as soon as possible. Now there are a variety of ways you can go about getting the rental income that has been missed from the missing tenant, however it is not always worth the hassle. So, if you are unsure what to do in case of a tenant abandoning your unit, or are currently trying to decide how to proceed, this is what you should do in order to manage it quickly and effectively.
Now, before we dive into how to identify and deal with a tenant abandoned unit, click the link below to book a free strategy call to learn about how you can protect your mortgage from missed payments and more that could come from a tenant abandoning your property.
How to Identify a Tenant Abandoned Unit
Before you do anything, you have to start by making sure the tenant has actually abandoned the property and is not simply hard to reach, out of town or avoiding you while skipping payments. There are a few ways you can determine if it is truly a tenant abandoned unit.
First, as the property if you suspect you have a tenant abandoned unit, you should file an application with the local Landlord and Tenant Board to properly determine that is the case. If the property is abandoned, you will have the option to separately apply to court to recoup any outstanding rent, but if the tenant has fully paid the rent, you will be unable to treat the unit until after the end of the rental period. This is because as long as the rent is paid, the property will not be considered abandoned, even if signs of abandonment are present such as uncollected mail and the absence of any possessions belonging to the tenant.
Should You Pursue the Tenant?
After you have determined that your property has been abandoned, you will need to decide if you would like to properly file for eviction and pursue any outstanding rental costs. While this may sound like an obvious next step, many landlords choose to move on and forget about the outstanding costs. However, whether you should pursue the tenant will vary on your own preferences and the specific circumstances.
When You Should Pursue Them
One of the most important times you should pursue the rent from a tenant who has abandoned your property is if they have caused significant damage to the unit. By filing for eviction and pursuing the rental costs, you are also opening yourself to then sue for the damages left behind which will help you cover the costs required to return the home to a market-ready state and it will allow future property owners to see what happened during their own tenant screening and background checks.
Discover How To Deal With Difficult Tenants With This Step By Step Guide
When You Should Move On With a Tenant Abandoned Unit
The process of filing an eviction and attempting to collect the rent owed from your tenant is frequently a lengthy and expensive process. While the time and effort can occasionally be worth it if the tenant is liable for a large enough sum of money, it is a very common occurrence for property owners to get nothing despite having a solid case for back rent on a tenant abandoned unit.
As a general rule, if you are not going to make a profit from pursing the tenant, you are probably going to be better off moving on and focusing your time on finding a new tenant to occupy the unit so you can resume collecting rental income.
Getting the Property Back on the Market
After you have finished determining that you have a tenant abandoned unit and you have decided how to proceed with the tenant, it is time to get the property back onto the market. This process will vary on the condition of the unit and the presence of any abandoned property left behind by the tenant.
If the property is deemed abandoned, the landlord will either obtain a notice from the Landlord Tenant Board terminating the client’s tenancy or the landlord can give notice to both the tenant and the board that they intend to dispose of any remaining property after 30 days.
Following this, the landlord will be free to immediately dispose of anything that could be considered unsafe or unhygienic, and after the 30 days conclude the property owner will be free to dispose of all remaining belongings in the tenant abandoned unit If the tenant comes to claim their property, they will be considered liable for any outstanding rent costs as well as any reasonable costs to move, store and secure their belongings.
If the landlord decides to dispose of the tenant’s property by selling it, the tenant will have six months to claim the proceeds of the sale following the date they first received the order or notice. However, the landlord will be allowed to deduct outstanding rent costs and the costs of moving, storing and selling the property left in the tenant abandoned unit from the total.
If you are looking to learn more about the world of real estate and how to manage your investments, contact our team at LendCity. We will gladly help you connect with our network of investors and real estate professionals in order to help you continue investing successfully. For more information you can give us a call at 519-960-0370 or visit us online at LendCity.ca Alternatively, click the link below to book a free strategy call with our team at LendCity today.