 Tenant jailed (by Dan [PA]) Jun 4, 2013 4:46 AM
 Tenant jailed (by V [OH]) Jun 4, 2013 5:21 AM
Tenant jailed (by RB [MI]) Jun 4, 2013 5:41 AM
Tenant jailed (by Carolyn [MO]) Jun 4, 2013 9:48 AM
Tenant jailed (by elliot [RI]) Jun 4, 2013 11:17 AM
Tenant jailed (by ltd [AZ]) Jun 4, 2013 11:44 AM
Tenant jailed (by Mike45 [NV]) Jun 4, 2013 2:16 PM
Tenant jailed (by Paulio [PA]) Jun 4, 2013 5:00 PM
Tenant jailed (by proofstyle [PA]) Jun 5, 2013 1:35 AM
Tenant jailed (by Nicole [PA]) Jun 5, 2013 7:51 AM
Tenant jailed (by Dan [PA]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 4:46 AM
Message:
State Specific Question About: PENNSYLVANIA (PA)
Just found out my tenant was put in jail for two years. He lives by himself but does have a girlfriend who I think has a key to the apartment.
I changed the locks on the apartment and put a no trespassing sign on the door.
What should be my next step?
--12.36.xxx.xx |
Tenant jailed (by V [OH]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 5:21 AM
Message:
Put the locks back, if rent unpaid post the proper notice.
Call thru the list of emergency contacts to find the keys and who can clean the empty unit and pay rent. --75.94.xxx.xxx |
Tenant jailed (by RB [MI]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 5:41 AM
Message:
Next step,
I would call his emergency contact, on his application
and schedule a time for clean-out of apartment. ASAP.
Also, you could record all action taken and have them
sign and date it.
Note: this has worked for me and may not work for others.
Try your best to work with a close family member.....
--24.236.xxx.xx |
Tenant jailed (by Carolyn [MO]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 9:48 AM
Message:
Be sure to follow your local and state laws re the proper procedure. In many areas, you aren't allowed to do what you have done - but instead have to take some extra steps before taking possession. --108.238.xxx.xxx |
Tenant jailed (by elliot [RI]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 11:17 AM
Message:
Most State has provision of abandonment. Ask your attorney to send a certified notice out. My attorney did and I got a property back right away.. --144.160.x.xx |
Tenant jailed (by ltd [AZ]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 11:44 AM
Message:
Or if his GF has a key then I guess all you know is all his stuff is gone so you rerented the place. He can file a police report if he wants.
See what your abandonment laws are. Here it's 5 or 10 days with no rent depending on what's left. Possession is 9/10th of the law - don't let anyone in without info from the guy on the lease. Keep the locks changed. --24.121.xx.xxx |
Tenant jailed (by Mike45 [NV]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 2:16 PM
Message:
Next step: Pray. Your conduct (changing the locks on a tenant's apartment with no legal authority to do so) constitutes an illegal self-help eviction by the landlord. The tenant has a great lawsuit against you. So, pray that the tenant does not find a free legal aide atty to sue you, perhaps for all you have.
Third step: Learn the law before you mess up even more.
--67.233.xxx.xxx |
Tenant jailed (by Paulio [PA]) Posted on: Jun 4, 2013 5:00 PM
Message:
You'll be fine. Your obligation is to the tenant, not the tenant's GF or anybody else not on the lease. You changed the locks to protect his belongings because you learned he was jailed and saw unknown people entering his apartment. Certainly if he returned, you would give him a new key.
Now, having said that, the easiest thing is just to evict for non-payment of rent or some other lease violation. (If your lease includes a Waiver of Notice to Quit, this will go more quickly.) He won't show for the hearing and you'll win by default. After that, all you have to do is hang onto his stuff for 10 more days. If he doesn't send you a letter stating when he's coming to get it, you can dump his stuff on Day 11.
Document everything. --74.47.xx.xx |
Tenant jailed (by proofstyle [PA]) Posted on: Jun 5, 2013 1:35 AM
Message:
Your FIRST step should have been to learn PA law. Do it now, before following and advice given above. --68.83.xxx.xx |
Tenant jailed (by Nicole [PA]) Posted on: Jun 5, 2013 7:51 AM
Message:
Paulio - over here, they'll transport him from the jail to the magistrate's office for the hearing. Even if the tenant doesn't want to defend, he gets a few hours "outside".
Dan - figure out how to get on the visiting list, go see your tenant, and get his intentions in writing ... get his stuff out legally. as long as the rent was paid, you shouldn't have changed the locks. It it wasn't paid, short of eviction, you'd need to figure out a valid abandonment claim - and that isn't going to be 2 or 3 days after he went to jail. Utilities being shut off and mail forwarding are two abandonment triggers. Easiest is to get him to agree, in writing, to return possession to you and he gives permission for John Doe to retrieve his possessions on XX date between the hours off xx and xx or everything is deemed abandoned. --72.95.xx.xxx |
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