Buy and Hold Investor · Cranston, RI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
@Raymond Lewis It's not as hard as it is in Massachusetts, by all accounts.
In my experience it usually takes a couple of months, though it really depends on how quickly you act on the unpaid rent, e.g. sending out the 5-day demand letter on the 17th of the same month the rent is unpaid.
It can be delayed if they are "professional tenants" who really know the tricks of gaming the system (which can buy them an extra month or more depending on whether you use a good attorney or do something else like DIY and make any mistakes).
And sometimes you just get a bad judge and s/he gives the tenants extra time just because.
Also I'm assuming this is for unpaid rent. In RI there are evictions for unpaid rent (faster track) and "everything else" (which are slower). If the latter, for example you want to make an apartment vacant to renovate the apartment or sell the property, it will take an extra month or two in general, and then add another month if the tenant(s) are aged 65+.
I'd recommend reading the RI Landlord-Tenant Handbook or the laws themselves (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). And of course, I do not recommend DIY evictions since it's very easy to get tripped up on technicalities and have to restart the whole process over again (very costly mistake).
Instead, I recommend using an attorney who specializes in evictions and if you end up going that route I can recommend a couple of names (PM me if you want their names).
Buy and Hold Investor · Cranston, RI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
@Raymond Lewis It's not as hard as it is in Massachusetts, by all accounts.
In my experience it usually takes a couple of months, though it really depends on how quickly you act on the unpaid rent, e.g. sending out the 5-day demand letter on the 17th of the same month the rent is unpaid.
It can be delayed if they are "professional tenants" who really know the tricks of gaming the system (which can buy them an extra month or more depending on whether you use a good attorney or do something else like DIY and make any mistakes).
And sometimes you just get a bad judge and s/he gives the tenants extra time just because.
Also I'm assuming this is for unpaid rent. In RI there are evictions for unpaid rent (faster track) and "everything else" (which are slower). If the latter, for example you want to make an apartment vacant to renovate the apartment or sell the property, it will take an extra month or two in general, and then add another month if the tenant(s) are aged 65+.
I'd recommend reading the RI Landlord-Tenant Handbook or the laws themselves (Residential Landlord and Tenant Act). And of course, I do not recommend DIY evictions since it's very easy to get tripped up on technicalities and have to restart the whole process over again (very costly mistake).
Instead, I recommend using an attorney who specializes in evictions and if you end up going that route I can recommend a couple of names (PM me if you want their names).
Real Estate Agent · Cranston, RI · Member since 2016 · 51 posts · 49 votes
8y
@Raymond Lewis
Unfortunately, when managing over 375+ units, evictions come up. Nonpayment of rent is usually the quickest. Once the tenant falls behind on rent more than 15 days you can send a five day demand letter. If they fail to cure the five day demand, you are able to file for an eviction hearing. Generally speaking, you can file on the 22nd of the month (if rent is due on the 1st and the five day demand was mailed on the 16th).
The court hearing is scheduled 9 days after, so depending on the number of days in the month, it's usually scheduled on one of the first couple of days of the following month.
If they fail to appear, you can easily get a judgement for money due and possession the day of court. If they appear, the preference of the court is a stipulation that both parties can agree on. Tenants are usually under the impression that they have a couple months to get out. That is not true.
If possession is awarded, the tenants have 5 days to appeal. If they don't appeal, the execution can be ordered for an eviction to take place under the supervision of a constable. This is costly for the constable, movers, and storage fees.
I've worked with a particular attorney for a number of years and if you message me I can share his contact information if you'd like. I may be able to answer any other questions you may have. Unfortunately, I have a LOT of experience in this area, although I am not an attorney.
Rental Property Investor · Boston, MA · Member since 2017 · 46 posts · 11 votes
8y
@Roy N.@Anthony Thompson@Jason Boulay Thank you gentlemen for the advice. I'm definitely going to read the RI Landlord Handbook. I appreciate you guys taking time out to assist me, and I hope 2018 is a great year for all of you.