Should a Landlord Wait until after the Holidays to Evict a Tenant?

I am often asked whether a landlord should hold off on evicting a tenant until after the holidays. The short answer is no, the landlord should bring an eviction as soon as possible.  A landlord will do well to remember that being a landlord is a business. The landlord is in the business of providing housing, and those persons who do not pay their monthly rent should leave, and be replaced with tenants who actually pay their rent on time.

A tenant always has to meet their obligations under the lease to pay rent, even if there is a holiday. The landlord is under no obligation to give the tenant a gift of free rent for a month or two. Indeed, a tenant might get use to not paying rent, and then expect to stay for free. A tenant who does not pay rent is not meeting their obligation under the lease, and should be evicted.

Still, I understand that certain landlords would prefer not to bring an eviction so close to the holidays. However, if the landlord files an eviction now, the hearing will not take place until 2 – 3 weeks. As such, I would recommend that a landlord bring an eviction sooner rather than later, even if we are in the midst of a holiday season.

Every landlord – tenant situation is unique, and I recommend that landlords talk to an attorney experienced in evictions and landlord tenant law before taking action based on this blog post.  To that end, I invite landlords to give me a call at 763-290-0445 to discuss their unique situation. The first thing I will ask you is what you want to have happen because, ultimately, the landlord is in control. I have represented many landlords, but do not represent residential tenants.

WARNING: The information contained in this blog post does not constitute legal advice and may not be applicable to your situation.  Tim is licensed to practice law only in Minnesota, and the information contained in this blog post may not apply to jurisdictions outside of Minnesota.  Further, reading this blog post does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and Baland Law Office, P.L.L.C.  You should always discuss your situation with an attorney before taking any action based on what you may read in this blog.  To that end, please call (763) 290-0445 to set up an appointment to discuss your situation.