Tenants just left?

Question

Hey all. Does anybody know what my rights are as an owners of my tenants just without word?  Just bought the house. They were there day of closing, one week later, nobody is there and everything looks to be gone.  I don’t have any contact info for them. Thanks!

Nathan Gesner · Answer

They abandoned the property, which happens now and then. Go change the locks, clean it up, and get it rented.

In the meantime, reflect on what happened, review your state law, and build something into your lease or your policies and procedures that helps you through this if/when it happens again.

Here's a start for Indiana: https://www.indybizlaw.com/lan...

Theresa Harris · Answer

Talk to the seller, but if everything is gone, utilities are no longer in their name, then clean it and rerent it.  Send a registered letter to their last known address (your rental) stating that it appears they have vacated with no notice and if you don't hear from them by X date, the lease will be considered terminated.

You should have received a copy of the lease along with their deposit from the seller. Could be they planned to move out at the end of July.

Get it cleaned, listed and find new tenants at market rate.

Erin Church · Answer

Hey Kelsey,

Congrats! (No, seriously!) Having inherited tenants leave and take all their stuff is almost always a good thing! Check into your local laws, but usually it's considered abandoned after a certain number of days of them not responding/it appearing empty.

Post that you're going to enter to do an inspection with whatever notice your lease says. Then, go ahead and get a list of improvements that you need to do (maybe just paint if it's in great condition, maybe an opportunity for some upgrades). When you purchased, the deposits should have been given to you (if your agent wrote it in). So, that will obviously become yours. Start getting quotes for the work, materials and get started as soon as you're "in the clear".

Also, change the locks as soon as you're in the clear/it's officially abandoned. I'm a fan of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008...

Easy to rekey between tenants and there's a second cylinder for landlord's key.

Mark Jones · Answer

I would highly recommend that you have the information on the tenants including as much documentation on them before purchasing your next property.  That won't alleviate this from happening, but it will make it much easier!

Craig Janet · Answer

This happens all the time, tenants just leave without notice because the place is trashed and they are behind on rent. Even so called "good tenants" will leave behind a bunch of junk they didn't want to move.  I would change the locks, try to get their contact information from the previous seller. Let them know they x days to remove the their things. I would start work immediately to get it ready to rent.

Konstantin Ginzburg · Answer

@Kelsey Bramer

You should have gotten access to the leases of the current tenants during your due diligence phase. Whether you follow out the lease to its termination relies on what the local tenant laws are but generally, an existing lease is honored until expiration when a new owner takes of the property. That lease should state when it is expected to terminate as well as your options in that case. That will also depend on the local tenant laws. More than likely though, if they had run out on the lease early, you may need to file for small claims court if you feel its worth your time and money but your best course of action may be to shift focus on turning your unit and finding a new tenant to limit your vacancy.

Eliott Elias · Answer

Look at the lease and see what the penalty is for breaking it. The tenants contact information should be on the lease as well.

Jim K. · Answer

@Kelsey Bramer

You are obligated to follow the terms of their existing lease until its expiration. What does the lease say about extended absences? @Jeremy H. made a great point about security deposits. You need to figure out what your obligations are FIRST. Then you go from there.

Wayne Kerr · Answer

That first sentence was something interesting...

Do you have lease agreements? Rent-roll? Contact info? Security deposits? Should have gotten some information on the tenants when you were buying the property?

If not, it's just an opportunity to clean the place up and get it rented at market rent

Tenants just left?

Most Popular Reply