Since the end of the eviction moratorium, there has been a bit of an eviction epidemic in the metro Atlanta area.
Between January and August of 2023, there were over 72,000 evictions in greater Atlanta. No landlord wants to evict one of their tenants, but unfortunately, you're often left with no other choice when your investment is being compromised.
Removing a tenant is a bit different in today's world. Here, we'll tell you how to deal with evictions in Atlanta by guiding you through the various steps of the process. Keep reading and you'll be able to treat the situation with care and compassion while protecting your property.
Eviction Rules in Atlanta
Every state has unique eviction laws and Georgia is no different. Firstly, you can only evict a tenant for a few reasons - nonpayment of rent, property damage or other lease violations, and illegal activity.
Each infraction must be served with the correct notice. We'll describe the different notices in the next section, but it's important to follow due process for the eviction process to go smoothly.
Failing to abide by the laws can cause your eviction attempt to stall. Even a post-Covid eviction must be dealt with in a calculated manner.
Sending an Eviction Notice
So, your tenant continues to miss rent payments or has broken your lease agreement. Before you send an official notice, always try to reach out to the tenant one last time to understand why things have gotten so bad and to communicate the consequences of their behavior.
If they don't respond to your outreach, the next step is to file an official eviction. This is where Georgia differs from other states. Instead of sending a 3 or 7-day notice to pay or quit, Georgia landlords can use their discretion on how long the notice lasts.
Give your tenants a reasonable amount of time - 3 to 10 days - to respond to the notice. When they fail to pay rent or fix their lease violation, you can go file the eviction in court and wait for your hearing date.
Preparing for Eviction Court
While you wait for your hearing date, it's in your best interest to gather as much evidence of the tenant's wrongdoing as possible. This might include proof of correspondence with the tenant, picture evidence of property damage, or receipts showing repair costs.
As long as you're prepared for the eviction hearing, it's usually straightforward. Your tenant will have a chance to defend themself, but if you've got convincing evidence, you should win your property back.
The tenant will then be given a date that they must vacate the property. If they fail to do so, they'll be forcibly removed by local authorities.
How Property Management Can Help with Evictions
Dealing with evictions was difficult before Covid and it remains just as difficult today. It's one of the biggest sources of landlord stress, but hiring a property manager to help can alleviate this stress.
PMI Georgia is Atlanta's top property manager and part of one of the country's leading property management firms. We can help you deal with evictions, but more importantly, we can implement tenant screening practices that ensure you have better tenants in the future.
To learn more about our services and how they can help you, contact us today.
