\u2022 A sublet who continues to stay in the property after the end of his lease
\u2022 A person who insists on staying in the property even though it is not named after them
\u2022 A tenant who refuses to leave the property but refuses to pay rent either<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.padleads.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/greta-scholderle-moller-_xvqHyL4NRs-unsplash-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u2022 Possible damages<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The landlord may initially let the tenants overstay and hope that they will leave the property willingly. However, this is not advisable because the tenant may take advantage of the landlord\u2019s passive stance. The longer they stay in the property, the higher the chances that they will gain squatter\u2019s rights. Yes, it is a real thing, and it will delay any chances of evicting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The squatters can do damage to a lot of things as they continue to stay. Having them around will also affect the business. There is a possibility that they will cause physical damages to the property, and some valuable items might get stolen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The landlord will also experience a financial burden because he is not able to receive any rental payment, utility bills will pile up, and evicting squatters is expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The most important question is, how can a landlord get rid of them? The eviction process should still be based on the local state laws and the recommended protocol. Always remember that. But commonly, this is how the process goes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 The landlord should call the police first. They will identify if the person is a squatter or a trespasser. If he is a trespasser, the police will remove the person from the property and treat it as a criminal activity. If the person is a squatter, the landlord should file a case in the civil court. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. The only way to avoid these things from happening is to find good tenants. This is where your role as a rental agent becomes most valuable. To do that, you must perform an extensive tenant screening with the applicants. Finding good tenants will contribute to the success of the business because tenants with good character will not stay in the property illegally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.padleads.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/fist-1148029_1280-1024x682.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u2022 The process to evict a squatter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 The next thing to do is to serve a notice to the squatter. The landlord needs to make sure that the eviction notice includes all the local requirements. If he\u2019s lucky, the squatter will abandon the property. If not, the landlord moves on to the next step.
\u2022 The next step is filing a lawsuit against the squatter. The landlord must have sufficient evidence to present during the court hearings.
\u2022 After the landlord wins the case, he can ask the local sheriff to have the squatter removed from the property.
\u2022 If the squatters left some of their belongings, the landlord must handle it accordingly and correctly. He is not allowed to throw away their belongings immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.padleads.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/sheriff-2626444_1280-1024x680.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\u2022 Avoiding squatters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n