When you evict a tenant, it’s important that you adhere to strict legal requirements regarding written notice, as ignoring this could get you into trouble if your tenant decides to take the legal route and rightly so.
Here’s all you need to know about writing and delivering an eviction notice letter.
What is an eviction notice letter?
Writing an eviction notice letter is the first step in the legal eviction process. By serving this notice, you’re communicating to your tenant that they need to vacate the property by a given date.
This document also acts as a record of the fact that you gave your tenant sufficient notice of their pending eviction. In the event of your tenant refusing to comply, you may have to take legal action. So, keep a copy of your notice once it’s drafted.
Every state has its own unique set of procedures when it comes to serving termination or eviction notices to tenants. Traditionally, landlords send eviction letters via certified mail. However, this is not required across the board.
You may have a specific reason or cause to evict a tenant. Typically, these reasons fall under two categories: a financial or material violation. But, these can specifically include:
- Failure to pay rent
- Violation of the lease
- Property damage
- Reports of illegal activity conducted on the premises
What Details Should I Include?
Depending on your lease agreement, the contents of your eviction letter may vary. However, as a general note, an eviction notice letter should include the following information:
The date
Your name
Your tenant(s) name(s)
Address of rental property
Reason for eviction
Date the tenant(s) must vacate the property
Eviction Letter Template
[Date]
[Full name]
[Property address]
[Your phone number]
Dear [tenant’s name],
This a notice to let you know you must vacate [rental property address] by [date tenant must vacate].
You have violated the lease agreement signed on [date lease agreement was signed] by [lease violation]. If you do not [pay/fix] or vacate by [date tenant must vacate], I will be forced to pursue legal action.
Please contact me at [your phone number] or [email address] with any questions.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your signature]
Please ensure that you are giving your tenant adequate notice to leave, as this will alleviate further issues down the line.
Read our previous blog post here: What To Do If Your Tenant is Subletting