What Sacramento Landlords Should Know Before Starting an Eviction

An eviction is the most expensive way to end a tenancy. You lose rent while the matter moves forward, you pay court and attorney costs, and you still have a home to clean, repair and re-rent once the tenant leaves.

Talk With Your Tenant First

Before a situation reaches an eviction, a conversation, a written payment plan or an agreed move-out date often costs less and takes less time. A tenant who has fallen one month behind after losing work is a different situation from a tenant who has stopped responding.

Keep Clear Records

Keep your communication in writing by text or email, and save every notice, receipt, inspection photo and repair record. Good records help you and your attorney understand exactly what has happened.

Know the Costs Before You Decide

Before you commit, add up the unpaid rent, the court and attorney costs, the cleaning and repairs after move-out, and the vacant time while the home is marketed again. Compare that total with the cost of a negotiated move-out date.

Let an Attorney Guide the Legal Steps

California eviction rules are detailed, and they change often. If a tenancy has to end, an attorney should guide the legal steps for your property. Alpha Property Management is a property manager, not a law firm, and we do not give legal advice.

Careful Screening Prevents Most Problems

The best protection is careful screening before the lease is signed. Every prospective tenant completes an application at their own expense, and we verify credit history, income and employment, rental history and references, and background information, using the same standard for every applicant.

If a tenant we've placed in a property under our full-service management contract breaks their lease within the first year, we will place the next tenant with no additional lease-up fee. Normal cleaning, repair and vacancy costs still apply. Learn more about our tenant placement process and our 1-year tenant guarantee.

How Alpha Can Help

For owners with a signed management agreement, Alpha handles the eviction, from the notices through court and the sheriff lockout. Once Alpha has possession of the property, we handle the make-ready work, marketing and screening to get it rented again. Our typical tenant placement timeline is approximately *10 days once the property is rent-ready, and timelines are estimates that cannot be guaranteed.

Our flat-rate management starts at $99 per month for a single-family home, $125 for a duplex and $225 for a fourplex. See our property management fees for the full details.

If you are facing a problem tenant, visit our eviction support page or call Sally at (916) 596-1665 for personal assistance.

This article is general information, not legal advice.