A few years ago, I was in a pretty serious car accident. During the aftermath, I became really familiar with a lot of different types of lawyers. I worked with personal injury lawyers, insurance lawyers, and many others. Perhaps the most important, though, was the estate planning lawyer. I was really young, and neither my wife or I had thought about starting a will. But the accident kind of scared us into it. What would happen if one of us were to die? Even when still in the hospital, I was working with the lawyer to draw up a will. Now, I have some peace and security about what the future will be like if something should happen to me. And I have a lot of experience working with various types of lawyers! The accident was kind of a blessing in disguise in that way.
If you are being evicted, you do not want to act rashly by packing up and immediately moving out. There is a whole process that your landlord needs to follow. When you receive an eviction notice, the landlord is informing you that you need to move out by a specific date. If you do not move out by that date, the landlord then usually needs to get a court order and this will take time. Therefore, you will want to use the time you have to speak with an eviction attorney.
Retaliatory Actions Taken By Landlords
Unfortunately, some landlords do not follow the law and will take steps to try to remove you from the apartment prematurely. They might change locks on the door or might even try to remove your toilet, shut off utilities, or remove your belongings when you're not in the apartment. If you encounter any of these situations, speak with an eviction attorney as soon as possible. You may have grounds for a lawsuit.
If you can arrange to make a payment, this may give you the option to stop an eviction temporarily. Doing this will then give you time to make more payments so you can eventually repair your debt to your landlord and avoid an eviction.
Speak to an Eviction Attorney
Regardless of which stage you are at in your eviction, an eviction attorney can help you. An attorney will give you advice on the best next steps regardless of whether you are earning an income and will be able to pay rent or resolve any other issues that are leading to your eviction.
Your eviction attorney may speak with your landlord or may give you advice on how to speak to your landlord. If you communicate with your landlord they are more likely to be willing to work with you. If you are evicted, not only does the landlord have to risk not receiving the amount that is owed but the landlord will also be forced to seek a new tenant to replace you.
Have Your Attorney Represent You in Court
The last thing you want is to not show up for court, as the courts will then be much more likely to rule in the favor of the landlord. Instead, make sure to attend court or have your attorney represent you so you can at least receive a hardship extension until you can pay what you owe.
Share27 August 2020
