Eviction Question: Use Lawyer or do it yourself? (tenant, renters, fees)

[pete1511]

Just thought of a question for all you landlords and property managers?

When you need to evict a tenant: 1) do you use a lawyer 2) do you have someone from your staff do it 3) do it yourself OR 4) use an eviction service?

I don't have enough tenants so I would just do it myself. However, I saw a statistic that there were over 1,000 evictions last month in the Dallas area. Surely, all the LLs and managers aren't doing this themselves. How much do eviction services cost?

What factors do you consider when choosing to do it yourself or have someone else do it? Thanks!!

[pitt_transplant]

Not a LL but I found this for you:
Texas Evictions

Just call your local J.O.P. for the current cost. They change that crap all the time.

[okaydorothy]

I have done the court stuff myself. But you cannot serve the papers yourself. At least in NY. So I usually have someone else do that part.
d

[golfgod]

Pete1511 wrote;

I saw a statistic that there were over 1,000 evictions last month in the Dallas area

Was that FILED, or deputies showing up at the door with a truck? At one tiem I had 16 rentals in the Houston area. I went to my JP court and had them walk me through it. I did the "nail and mail" part and IIRC the only time I had to pay for any service was AFTER the WRIT had been signed by the JP.

Go sit in the JP court on FORCIBLE DETAINER day, the clerk will tell you when it's held. For every 100 filed, some % get made good before court (tenant either pays or quits the premises), on the rest the plaintiff always shows up, the defendant shows up less than 5% of the time. Our JP ran it like a production line (at the time he was the 2nd busiest JP court in TX).

On a (pay or quit) case the judge only has one question; Did you pay? If the answer is NO, it's an automatic finding for the plaintiff. Although most JPs will listen to a (very short) explanation from the tenant, before finding for the plaintiff.

golfgod

[pete1511]

Thanks for the replies. golfgod, to be clear, I only meant FED cases. I didn't mean to state that the actual act of evicting was carried out 1,000 times in one month.

Did attorneys usually represent the plaintiffs in those cases you mentioned?

[texdav]

In Texas you can post the notice yourself and then get the evistion and a constable will move them out .Just go to a JP and they will explain the law so as you get it right as some judge like it slightly different from others.

[ESFP]

In Maryland, usually I hand the tenant a letter, with a witness, stating they have 30 days to vacate. They will take me to court. They will loose. I never pay for an attorney when I know I'm right. If it's a month-to-month lease, you don't need any reason to evict. You can do it anytime, for any reason, and the courts know that. The tenant will sue for moving expenses, run up all utility bills, and intentionally destroy appliances and steal the flowers. That's renting.

[bentlebee]

We used a lawyers office but recently started to do it ourself since I had some experience and so far was succesful in all cases.

You need to have a server or have the sheriff serve the tenants, but the rest is not too hard to do, BUT one error in the papers and the judge will throw it out and you have to file all over and pay all fees again...so be careful or you waste additional money.

[ShaneSA]

It's so easy in Texas that it's cheaper and faster to do it yourself. As previously stated by Texans, i do it myself. I changed the grace period to 3 days. On the 4th day I post the eviction. I can file by the 7th or 8th day. That way I get an early court date. Most renters who try to work the system think that an eviction takes over a month. Not in Texas. I've only had to do it a few times. I love the look on thier faces when they find out they don;t have that 2 or 3 weeks they were counting on to work the system.

[tworent]

When I only had a couple dozen rentals I did it myself now I pay a service but I have better screening skills now so it does not come up often