From July 2022 to July 2023, there were over 164,000 evictions in North Carolina.
When you're a landlord, your priority should always be protecting your property. Of course, the treatment of your tenants should be important, but when your real estate investment is being put at risk, the only course of action is eviction.
In today's post, we'll give you a short guide to the Charlotte eviction process. There's a specific process you must carry out and failing to do so can result in penalties and even eviction failure. Keep reading and you'll know your landlord eviction rights and how to get that bad tenant out so you can find a better one.
Understand Charlotte's Eviction Laws
Whether your tenant has been driving you crazy for months or there's been a recent issue, you can't proceed with an eviction without first understanding NC rental property laws. In our state, you cannot carry out an eviction without going through due process - this is known as a "self-help" eviction and can result in major fines.
You need to have a specific reason to evict your tenant. Most evictions occur due to nonpayment of rent, violation of rental agreements, and illegal activity in rentals. The first step is serving your tenant with an eviction notice that corresponds to what they've done.
Start With a Tenant Eviction Notice
When you serve an eviction notice to your tenant, they have a certain amount of time to rectify the issue before you file the eviction with the court. For nonpayment of rent, it's a ten-day notice. If they pay within ten days of the notice being issued, the eviction is averted.
For lease violations - damage to property, unauthorized tenants/pets, etc. - the landlord doesn't need to give any form of notice. The same is true of any illegal activity in the rental. That said, you may want to attempt to reason with your tenants so that they're not blindsided by the eviction.
Taking Evictions to Court
Whether you've given a ten-day notice or none at all, you must file the eviction with the local court when the time runs out. Upon filing, both you and your tenant will be given a hearing date to present your respective cases.
It's important to prepare evidence of your tenant's wrongdoing to bring some clarity to the situation. This could be correspondence between you and the tenant, photographic evidence of property damage, or bank statements showing the cost of maintenance/repairs.
When your case is successful, the tenant will be given a final date to evacuate the property. If they still fail to do so, they can be forcibly removed by the local authority and you'll have your property back.
Eviction Protection and Property Management
Evictions are stressful, even when they're carried out properly. You can avoid the risk of eviction with a strong eviction protection plan that includes thorough tenant screening practices and other deterrence measures.
You can also get property management tips by hiring a qualified property management company. At PMI Mecklenberg, we're Charlotte's top property manager.
Find out more about how we can prevent evictions and help you carry them out as needed by contacting our office today.
