After Your Tenant Vacates (We are here for you!)

Whether the Sheriff or Marshall returned possession to you or the tenant voluntarily vacated on his own, you�ve now got your property returned to you.� The former tenant, and any guests, is no longer welcome at the property nor can any of them gain access to the property without the landlord specific permission or consent. If they do, they now can be considered trespassing at the premises.

All the Necessary Security Deposit Rental Forms, Inspection, Checklists and Agreements, etc., Will Be Provided by Landlord Services

Our service to you, our client, does not end once the tenant has vacated. We want to make sure that you are provided with a number of additional services that will help you successfully process the former tenant�s tenancy, including any security deposit, by providing information and helping you with;

Inventorying and disposing of any previous tenant personal property left behind (and how to properly dispose of any of that personal property),
Inspecting the premises to determine charges against any deposit and to get the unit ready for re-rent
Accounting for any of the former tenant�s security deposit, including time saving forms,
Providing you with Landlord Service�s Preferred Vendors List, which is a group of specialized professionals, who can assist you in the refurbishing and making ready the rental to show new prospective tenants,
Providing the necessary new tenant agreement documents and make available many articles that our staff has written in regard to attracting, finding, prescreening, qualifying, interviewing, meeting with, verifying references, running credit reports, and renting to qualify new tenant.
Collection of back rent, legal expense and reporting the former tenant to credit reporting agencies.

FREE Attorney Drafted and Landlord Approved Rental Forms for Processing Your Former Tenant, Security Deposit and Finding Your New Tenant

Inventorying Any Former Tenant�s Personal Property

Normally, evicted tenants only leave behind junk. However, the former tenant has the right to retrieve these items within 14 days of the Sheriff returning possession to you. The best landlord practice is to gather up all items of possible value (clothes, important documents, diary, software, etc.) and place them in an area of safekeeping, such as a garage, storage area, bedroom or even off the premises (could be expensive, if you hire a professional moving company to do so). That way you are free to make a thorough and unfettered inspection of the premises to determine tenant damage *charges against the deposit) and to make a list of things to do for the vendors, yourself, and others who will be rehabilitating the premises for re-rent. More information about inventorying the former tenant�s personal property can be obtained in our, �Sheriff�s Eviction Kit.�

Inspecting the Former Tenant�s Premises

Just as you would inspect any other vacated tenant�s premises, you should be equipped with the original Rental/Apartment Inspection Inventory Checklist form, and, as important, the photographs that you should have taken before the tenant moved into the property. That way you will be able to compare the original condition to the present condition and be able to accurately determine exactly what charges (tenant damages) you can and cannot make to the former tenant�s security deposit.

Have a Camera - Take At Least 20 or More Snaps, and Have a Notepad.

You also need to have a camera and a notepad.� This is an extremely important part of the process of being able to determine if the tenant damaged the premises above and beyond normal wear and tear and it is proof certain of the actual condition of the premises after the tenants vacate the property.� The landlord should take photographs.� The front of the house or entry way, the front door, sides of the house and backyard, or any outside area tenant could access, including any front patio or terrace, in the case of a single family home or condominium and at least one photograph for each room of the rental premises.� Most landlords will take one photograph of each of the following;

Room,
Floor,
Walls,
Ceiling,
Any window, including any window covering and,
Any doors, including hardware
Any closet(s)
Any patio, balcony, front yard, side yard and backyard

In the kitchen, you should take photographs of the countertops, interior of the sink, refrigerator, oven, dishwasher and other appliances.� In the bathroom, you should take photographs of the sink, counter, any medicine cabinet, light fixture, mirror, any bathtub, shower and toilet, entry door and back of entry door and wall. With the notepad in hand the landlord will make notes of other issues that will supplement the photos and or add to further describe work related work requests and charges to the deposit.

Make a note of any and all damages, including any of the following;

Painting,
Cleaning,
Repairs,
Replacement,
Missing items, such as screens, etc.

Accounting for Security or Cleaning Deposit of the Former Tenants � Landlords Have 21 Days � Even If the Tenant Was Evicted

Once you have inventoried any personal property, made a thorough inspection of the premises, the most contentious issue by far that arises after the tenant vacates, voluntarily or not, is the accounting of the security deposit and collection of money that is due the landlord.� The time limit for security deposit accounting is tight and strict.� You have 21 days.� That�s it.� Even if the tenant ends up owing you thousands of dollars, you must account for his or her security deposit within 21 days of the tenants vacating the premises. Our article and forms will show you how to do it right and according to current California law.� It is a simple process, yet certain rules and procedures must be followed to be in full compliance and avoid future problems with the former tenant (see forms below). More information about processing the former tenant�s security deposit can be obtained in our, �Security Deposit Kit, or �Security Deposit Accounting Form.�

Keep Original Receipts, Estimates and Your Cool

Landlords must now include copies of actual receipts of work done to the premises if the total amount charged against the tenant security deposit is greater than $125.� These vendor receipts must include vendor name, address and telephone number.� If you do not yet have a receipt or had to obtain an estimate from one of your vendors, you should provide a copy of either or both in your final security deposit accounting to the former tenant.� Although and in almost every case, you will not be refunding any security deposit money (to the evicted tenant), you will be in full compliance with California law and informing the former tenant know just how much money he does owe you, less any credit for his or her security deposit balance.� If the damages significantly exceed the security deposit amount, this could also be the basis of starting and filing a Small Claims Court Action against your former tenant (more information referenced below).

Collection of Back Rent and Legal Expenses

For more information on collecting your money judgment or if you need more help, call us. Remember the possession or trial judgment (if you went to trial) that we obtained for you is enforceable and open to the public, including the three major credit reporting companies for a period of 10 years. These judgments are �picked up� by these and other companies, placed on the former tenant�s credit report or the data is retrievable by future landlords who are members of credit reporting agencies. An excellent tenant credit reporting and, screening company is National Tenant Network, they can be found at www.Landlord.com.

Most Clients Turn their Judgment Over to their Favorite Collection Agency

Our clients can find more professional assistance in helping them re-rent the premises to a new and qualified tenant, click here to find out about those important resources. It�s all about maximizing cash flow. All files are in PDF format and to access forms and articles you must first sign-up for FREE at LandlordServices.com.

After Tenant Vacates - Forms	After Tenant Vacates - Articles
Vacancy Process Flow Chart	�How Would You like to Be the Landlord?
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Our clients can find more professional assistance in helping them read rent the premises to a new and qualified tenant, click here to find out about those important resources.

Call Us Today (FREE) To Discuss Your Tenant Situation We Are Here To Help 408-374-9400