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Eviction checklist for landlords
Four checks before you file, and the paperwork to have in hand. Most rejected filings fail one of these.
Before you file
- Right court. Determined by where the property sits — the parcel, not the mailing address. Properties near city or county lines are where this goes wrong.
- Right parties. The owner name on the filing matches the deed, and the agent named has authority. Standing defects are common on institutionally-held property.
- Ledger reconciles. The amount claimed matches the ledger, and every charge is supported by a lease term.
- Notice documented. You can prove what notice you gave, when, and how you delivered it. This is the one that most often fails at the hearing.
Paperwork to have in hand
- The signed lease and any addenda
- The current ledger, reconciled
- Proof of the notice and its delivery
- Correspondence with the tenant
- Photographs or reports, for lease-violation cases
- Deed or management agreement establishing authority
Do not
- Change the locks before a writ is executed
- Shut off utilities
- Remove or dispose of belongings
- Accept a rent payment without checking whether it undoes your case
- File before your state's notice period has run
State law controls. Eviction law is state law, and notice periods, forms, courts and timelines differ in every state — sometimes county to county within a state. This page explains how the process generally works. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for your state's actual rules.
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Get this as a one-page PDF
Printable, and there's a writ-preparation checklist in the same email.
Rather have it handled?
Send the case and skip the checklist entirely.
Checklist done, still stuck?
Most people get stuck at service or at the setout. Both are things we do.