How To Ask a Tenant to Move Out
Some tenants are just problematic. Others are great people, but there comes a time when change becomes necessary, and even the best tenants need to be asked to move out. This can be a tricky process, especially if the rental arrangement has been a multi-year relationship. The easiest way to start this process is to meet the tenant in a neutral location. Offer to buy them some coffee or maybe even lunch. Discuss your situation and why you need to have them move out of the property. With enough notice, most tenants will move – though they won’t be happy about the need to move.
My Tenants Are Nice, But They’re Stubborn
If there is still a leasing agreement in place, landlords often need a legitimate reason to ask tenants to move. If there isn’t one, then the lease stays in place until it expires. Some tenants are stubborn and want to stay until the end of their lease. Providing them with an incentive, such as a portion of their moving costs or agreeing to return the entire security deposit unless there is extensive damage, can help to prompt a move.
My Tenants Have Small Children
Kids or pets, for that matter, can make moving on short notice problematic. There may be daycare concerns, a lack of available housing, and other issues which make finding an affordable rental next to impossible to achieve for certain families. If you know in advance that your tenants need to move and they have kids, pets, or both, then reach out to other landlords about other rentals. Being able to provide a housing alternative when asking tenants to leave can help relieve the anxiousness that many families have about moving.
Sometimes the Legal Process Must be Followed Tenants may decide that they don’t want to move. They might even decide to stop paying their rent. You can keep asking them to move out, but ultimately it takes a court order to make that happen. Make sure you are familiar with the entire eviction process to ensure no errors are made that can cause a tenant to have a prolonged amount of free rent. Waiting just prolongs this process. It is better to ask now and work with your tenants to get them moved out than to go through the costly eviction process.