Evictions are a landlord's worst nightmare. They're costly, time-consuming, and unpleasant for everyone involved.
There's no easy way around evictions, so it pays to prepare yourself for the worst in advance. You can't simply change the locks and be done with it; you must pursue the legal route if you want to remove bad tenants.
Read on to find out about evicting tenants from your Cedar Hills investment property.
Utah Eviction Laws
Failure to pay rent is the most common reason for evicting tenants, especially since assistance programs started winding down in 2022. Under Utah law, you may also evict tenants due to:
- Engaging in criminal activity
- Committing domestic violence
- Excessive property damage
- Unlawful subletting
- Housing unauthorized tenants
- Non-compliance with health and safety guidelines
- Failing to move out after a lease expires
So, no matter how extensively you screen tenants, there's still a chance you might need to evict someone from your Cedar Hills rental property.
How to Evict a Tenant
In any state, you must follow tenant eviction protocols for removing tenants. This is how the process works in Utah:
Serve the Correct Written Eviction Notice
Utah laws are very specific regarding eviction notices. You must use the correct format, as follows:
- 3-Day Notice to Pay: for non-payment of rent
- 3-Day Notice to Comply: for lease infringements
- 3-Day Notice to Quit: for illegal activities
- 15-Day Notice to Quit: for expiring leases
If the tenant does not comply, you can pursue the matter in court.
File and Serve a Complaint
In Utah, there are two ways to navigate this step. You may either file the complaint with the court before or after serving the tenant with a summons and complaint.
Leave it to the Court
If the tenant contests the eviction, you'll need to state your case against them before a judge. If they don't, the court will likely file a default judgment in your favor.
Await the Judgement
The court will issue an order of restitution if they rule in your favor. This gives the tenants three days to leave, or they could face forced removal.
A Property Manager Helps Limit Evictions
Hiring a property management firm can help you avoid evicting tenants from your rental properties.
They assist with tenant screening to ensure your tenants can afford to pay their rent. They collect rent on time so that outstanding amounts don't become unmanageable, and promote tenant retention by assisting tenants with solutions if they face a temporary setback.
If you opt for eviction protection in your property management agreement, you'll enjoy some relief from legal expenses if you need to evict a tenant. Eviction protection means the property management firm will pay a portion of your legal fees related to an eviction.
Avoid Evictions in Cedar Hills
PMI Summit is a leading property management company in Cedar Hills. We have decades of experience managing tenants and providing landlord advice to help avoid evictions.
Our extensive tenant screening process helps limit the chance of facing a tenant eviction, and we provide extensive eviction protection programs for our landlords.
Get in touch to find out more about our property management services in Cedar Hills, Utah.
