Most of the time, a landlord who self manages doesn’t know how the eviction process works, so we’re explaining it today.
Property Management Charleston SC
Although evictions can occur for many different reasons, it’s usually due to a tenant not paying rent. No matter how diligently a management company screens tenants, things can change. There might be a financial hardship during the course of a lease, and suddenly your tenant is not able to pay rent. These are unfortunate circumstances and when they occur, you should hire a professional management company to handle it for you. Your manager will be businesslike and effective in replacing your non-paying tenant with a paying tenant.
Property Eviction Timing
When an eviction is needed, file it quickly and early in the month. In South Carolina, you can file between the fifth and tenth of the month for any reason. Once the eviction is filed, the process takes 30 to 45 days, and the goal is to get the tenant to vacate amicably. On occasion, the tenant will be there right up until the final moments of the eviction. At that time, the tenant needs to legally remove any personal items. If anything over $500 in value is left behind, the management company has the right to legally remove the property and place it curbside.
Eviction Court Process
Filing an eviction takes two or three visits to the magistrate’s office. The first visit will cost between $40 and $50. Then, the second and third visits will cost between $5 and $10. The total actual cost of an eviction is less than $100. The end result is the tenant leaving your property and a new tenant being found as quickly as possible. A property management company will try to resolve this amicably and get the tenants out without any reason to disrespect the property they are vacating.
During the eviction process, tenants can request a show cause hearing. If that occurs, it can delay the process, but not by long. It requires the landlord or the property manager to attend a hearing in the magistrate court to provide the judge with proof for why the eviction is being filed. Usually this is merely a formality, but it’s a way for tenants to delay the process. It is their right to have the hearing.
The eviction process is one of the most challenging parts of property management. If you are a self-managing landlord, we recommend you hire a property management company to help you.
If you have any questions about tenant eviction or Charleston property management, please contact us at Charleston Home Rentals.
