Eviction Process in NJ

[Peter Matthews]

I'm learning that tenants get a very fair share of rights in NJ and that evictions can extend many months (the worst I heard of was six).

Has anyone determined the optimal/quickest way to get non paying tenants evicted.

By this I mean:

- up front screening (credit/employ check/crim. bg)
- stronger lease clauses
- security deposits, etc
- tactics
- lawyers

If anyone has devised a process for minimizing eviction time and lost rent I'd like to hear from them.

Thanks

[Aly W.]

My eviction attorney in Trenton, NJ (who I haven't actually had to employ yet) says that he does about 40 evictions a week which take about 4 - 6 weeks tops, and cost between $250 and $500. I was told the reason evictions can take months is that landlords will attempt to do evictions on their own, and forget to cross a few t's and dot a few i's, or otherwise not follow the law properly.

Although several hundred dollars seems extreme compared to $30 or so on your own, an experienced eviction attorney can get the job done quickly and relatively painlessly.

And as Jeff mentioned, do a thorough screening. I just had an applicant with a good job, good employment reference, good income, and....an eviction/judgement against her. Which of course she didn't mention on the app although I asked, then blamed her roommate for all the problems with their previous landlord.