For everyone that rents out a home, the worst nightmare can be to have a tenant that doesn not pay the rent. There are basic steps that can be taken to evict a non-paying tenant but these steps can be changed according to the tenant, state law, and the particular situation. These steps must be followed closely and should be double checked with your state laws to ensure that you don’t lose the case in court.
The first step to evicting a non-paying tenant is to try to contact the tenant. If you can find the reasons for the non-payment and can fix them, you can avoid eviction all together.
If you cannot contact the tenant, you can lock the tenant out of the home. As this will not ensure payment, this can force them to meet with you. If after locking them out of the home, you cannot reach them, leave a note. This note should give a 3 day deadline of payment and should warn the tenant that non-payment in the 3 days will result in an eviction notice.
After these 3 days, if the tenant has not replied, post an eviction notice. Every stat has different laws as to the amount of time the tenant is allowed to vacate the premises but most states allow anywhere from a week to a month of time.
If the tenant refuses to leave, you can contact a lawyer and set up a case. Be sure to keep all documentation presented to the non-paying tenant, lease agreements, and anything else you may feel will help with winning the case.