Unfortunately, as a landlord, you might have to evict tenants at some point. When you do, it is important that you cover all of your bases legally. If not, you could end up on the other end of a civil lawsuit from your tenant. Here is what you need to know about the eviction process:

Professional Help

Unless you have been through the eviction process with tenants on many other occasions, you will need professional help. There are several reasons why you need help, including:

• The seriousness of the situation. You are evicting someone from their home. It is because of this, the court will look carefully to ensure that the eviction is justified. 
• The legal details. Each state has its own rules for how a landlord can proceed to evict a tenant. If you do not follow each of the steps correctly, your case could be tossed out of the court. 
• The legal setting. Evictions typically happen in the courtroom. As a result, the proceedings are very formal. 

Professional help, such as a property management company, will be familiar with the legal steps required to evict a tenant, how to present the case in court, and ensure that the eviction is justified. 

Case Preparation

Putting together a case for eviction is difficult. It requires a great deal of paperwork and documentation to make your case. In court, you will need to provide: 

• Tenant's information. The court needs copies of the lease and any other documents that were essential to creating the original agreement between you and the tenant. 
• Your reports. Reports, such as repair requests, should be provided to the court. If the tenant alleges that you were not a decent landlord, you can use your reports to disprove this defense. 
• Tenant violations. You need to show what led you to eviction court. For instance, if the tenant failed to make payments on time, provide documentation showing that the payments were received late consistently or not at all.

Depending on your state, you might be required to present other documentation to the court. If you have a contract with a property management company, the company will ensure that all documentation is in order before the court date. 

There are many more aspects to the eviction process. By working with a professional, such as a property management company, you can help ensure that the eviction process moves as smoothly as possible so that you can retake possession of your property without issue. To learn more, contact a company like East Valley Property Management.