What Happens When You Get Evicted?
Aug. 27, 2021 Yahoo! Finance
As a result, tenants who are behind on their rent could soon be facing off with their landlords to prevent being kicked out of their homes.
As of the first week of July, nearly 6.4 million households were behind on rent. That’s about 15% of all renter households and represents an estimated total back rent of $21.346 billion, according to the National Equity Atlas. That works out to an average of $3,300 per household.
At the height of the pandemic, 19% of all rental households were behind on rent. The original eviction moratorium plus all its extensions have prevented an estimated 2.45 million eviction filings since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Eviction Lab.
What the eviction process is like
At risk renters can take a small bit of comfort from the fact that evictions don’t happen overnight. There is a lengthy legal process that varies depending on the state, and sometimes the county or city, you live in.
While the timeline and certain details will differ by location, the general process looks like this:
For renters facing eviction due to lack of payment, the legal process to remove you from the home begins with a Pay or Quit Notice, more commonly known as an Eviction Notice. You should receive the notice by certified mail, as well as having a copy of the notice placed on the entry to the rental unit in question.
Once you’ve received the notice, you’ll usually have 30 days to either pay the back rent due or vacate the property. If you move out before the landlord files a legal complaint, you could still be sued in civil court for any back rent due. If you do neither, then the landlord can file an eviction complaint with the courts. You’ll be notified of the court date and have the opportunity to present your case as to why the eviction should not proceed.
If the judge rules in favor of the landlord, you’ll be given a number of days to leave the property. If you don’t vacate within the prescribed time period, the landlord can then bring in law enforcement and have you forcibly removed.