Fort Worth Tenant Evictions

Managing tenant evictions are an unfortunate, yet important aspect of leasing homes in Fort Worth, TX. Understanding the delicate nature of evictions is pivotal when beginning the process. Typically, trying to circumvent the process is the best possible outcome for all parties, but sometimes conditions cannot be met, and further actions must be taken.

How Long Should I Wait?

This completely depends on the communication or interaction you have with your tenants. Some of our property owners have waited months before beginning the process, because they wanted to give their tenants a chance to get caught up. Some tenants do, and some don’t. Typically management companies will start the eviction process early because it is lengthy. Understanding the situation and taking the appropriate action is key.

How Long Does the Process Take?

There isn’t a definitive answer here, but if you handle the appropriate paperwork as quickly as possible, make an appearance in court, and pay the $72 filing fee, the process will take approximately 3 weeks.

What Do I Have To Do?

There are four steps to the process:

1. Notice to Vacate – The tenant must receive written notice and be witnessed. Certified mail is the best way to do this.
2. File Suit – You must file a petition with the court, as well as a $72 filing fee. A constable will then serve the citation which must be received at least 6 days before the court date.
3. Court Appearance – You must appear in court to plead your case. The tenant also has the right to plead, but most do not appear.
4. Writ of Possession – 5 days after winning the suit, you can obtain a Writ of Possession which allows you to legally remove a tenant from your property. The Writ of Possession can cost around $155.

Removing a Tenant

There are many circumstances where tenants may be combative. In some cases, armed officers should accompany the landlord to remove items to ensure their safety. This is a potentially dangerous aspect of evictions and extreme caution should be exercised to ensure no tenant property is damaged and the eviction takes place without incident.

Time, Money and Effort

The hard costs of evictions can be close to $200. This does not include hiring movers, loss of time, and potentially hiring security to help avoid incident. In many cases the process can be very expensive.

At LEAP Property Management, we handle the entire eviction process. First we begin by understanding your tenant’s situation and working with them to avoid the eviction process. If an eviction is unavoidable, our team will file the proper paperwork, make court appearances, and peacefully remove the tenant from your property.