Tenant Moved???? - Landlord Forum thread

Tenant Moved???? by Ohio Landlord (OH) on April 3, 2012 @09:21

I have a SFH with a tenant that has been in there since last September. I have had problems with him paying rent on time almost on a regular basis. I contacted by the Utilities Company that he ended the utilities being in his name as of today and now they are back into my name. He tried this a few weeks ago and when I approached him about this he said it was a mix up and he was getting his son an apartment else where and this caused the confusion. The utilities order was stopped and kept in his name.

Today is the 3'rd and he hasn't paid rent for this month and I called the Utilities department and they said as of today they are in my name. I have not had any luck in reaching him on the phone and the Utilities said he has a lease on another house.

I cant tell if he has moved anything out yet. What should I do? I am serving the 3 day notice to vacate today.

Should I enter the residence after posting a 24 hour notice or how should I do this?

Any suggestions will be helpful.

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Re: Tenant Moved???? by Anonymous on April 3, 2012 @11:02	[ Reply ]

The 3 day pay or quit notice is to pay or vacate. Make sure it is posted prominently, and send a copy by mail as well, and a copy certified. While you are there posting observe the house outside to see if there are any other signs of move out. I would wait until the 3 days are up and do two things. Prepare to file for eviction, and post a 24 hour notice to enter. After the 24 hours are up enter to see if everything is moved out. Then you go from there.

Re: Tenant Moved????

Re: Tenant Moved???? by OK-LL on April 3, 2012 @11:35	[ Reply ]

I would post the p/q and the notice to enter at the same time, immediately. That way, tomorrow you can enter to see if you need to bother waiting the remaining time on the p/q. If the place is empty, assume abandonment. My lease has a clause that defines abandonment as any 72 hour period during which the tenant owes any amount on his lease and is not present at the property. Check you lease for similar language. If things are left in the unit, post an abandonment notice IAW your state law and get that process moving even though you are doing the p/q. This will allow you to get rid of his junk sooner than waiting for the judgment for possession and then dealing with the abaondomed property.