As the cost of rent increases, so does the number of eviction filings across the country. In fact, eviction filings have soared to over 50% above the levels prior to the recent pandemic.
It's not like landlords don't have good reason to evict tenants that can't afford rent. After all, owners of these properties in San Mateo, CA have their own bills to pay. However, it's important to know what kind of eviction protection you have in case one of your tenants decides to pursue legal action.
Here's what you need to know about your rights when evicting tenants from real estate in San Mateo.
Tenant Eviction With Cause
In California, the Tenant Protection Act keeps landlords from evicting a tenant without cause. That means they need some kind of legitimate reason before they can kick out a renter, even if they don't get along with them. As long as they pay their rent and follow the rules, a tenant cannot be evicted.
The most common reasons are a failure to pay rent or some other violation of the lease agreement. However, the landlord must give the tenant sufficient notice.
At a minimum, a tenant will need a 30-day notice. However, this can be expedited through a court order.
Tenant Eviction Without Cause
As a landlord, you cannot technically evict someone without cause. However, there are ways to ask a tenant to vacate a property without forcing them.
Eviction notices without cause require a longer period to vacate. This protects tenants that have otherwise done nothing wrong in their time on your property.
Alternatively, you can always choose to not renew their lease. This is the best option if you're dealing with a month-to-month tenant, though you'll need "just cause" in California.
However, this may require a longer waiting time for landlords who use a year-long lease.
Eviction Protection for Landlords
The eviction process can be a difficult process, especially when you have tenants fighting it. Even if you have "just cause", they can always claim that you're lying or manipulating the facts.
As a landlord in San Mateo, you can protect yourself using a property management company. The way they offer eviction protection is by paying to evict the tenant.
It's much more affordable to lose a month's rent to evict a tenant as opposed to fighting them in court and losing multiple months of rent. Legal fees also don't come cheap.
Protect Your San Mateo Real Estate
The best form of eviction protection for landlords is to make sure that the process is above-board. Only proceed with eviction when you have reasonable cause and plenty of evidence. Your property management company can help if the tenant decides to pursue legal action against you.
Five Star Property Management helps both real estate owners and investors in the San Mateo area with their daily struggles. Let us handle things like collecting rent, repair jobs, evictions, and more. Contact us if you're interested in our services and have any questions about our business.