Despite doing everything right when screening potential tenants, there's always a possibility that your tenants won't pay their rent. In the event that they don't pay, you may need to consider evicting them.
The eviction process can be long and drawn out and there are many rules governing it. Keep reading for our guide on how to handle evictions in Kansas City.
Termination With Cause
To evict a tenant for termination with cause, you must have a valid and legal reason. According to Missouri laws, valid reasons include:
- Not paying rent
- Using the property for illegal activities
- Violating the lease
Before eviction proceedings can begin, you must first terminate the tenancy. To do this, you need to give the tenant written notice.
The type of written notice you give to your tenant depends on the reason for eviction.
Demand for Rent
If a tenant's rent is late (in Missouri, rent is considered late if it is not received one day past the due date), you can give them a demand for rent. This is a written notice stating that the rent is unpaid and if it is not paid within a certain time frame, the lease will be terminated.
If the rent is not paid within the given timeframe, you can file an eviction lawsuit against your tenant. When you file an eviction lawsuit, a court date will be set. This will usually occur about 4 weeks after you file the lawsuit.
Once the hearing date arrives, the tenant must attend. If they do not, a default judgment will become effective after 10 days. This means that you do not get control of your property until 10 days have passed.
If your tenant disputes the allegations, the judge will set a trial date, 7-14 days later. At the conclusion of the trial, a judge will make a decision. If a judge rules for you, the judgment becomes final in 30 days, and that is when the tenant must fully vacate the property.
Quit Notice
If your tenant violated a provision in the lease, such as having a pet when there is a no-pet clause, damaging the property, or engaging in drug or other illegal behaviors, you can submit a quit notice which means that you are not giving your tenant the opportunity to fix the violation, and are seeking immediate eviction.
In this type of notice, you go straight to a hearing. A judge could order an immediate eviction, which requires the tenant to move out of the premises within 24 hours.
Let Us Handle Evictions for You
If you are a landlord and don't want to deal with the day-to-day operations of a rental property, like screening tenants, collecting rent, and evictions, let a property management company handle it for you.
At the Home River Group, we can handle all aspects of the rental process for you. Contact us today to learn more about our services.
