What an Effective Eviction Moratorium Must Include

An eviction moratorium must hit all five phases of eviction, and more, to protect public health. Here's what to look for to make sure an eviction halt does its job.

A notice in red letters is taped to a wooden door. It reads "Notice: by order of the [blanked out] County Special Civil Part. Tenants of these premises have been evicted and the plaintiff placed in full possession thereof. NO TRESPASSING."
Photo by Flickr user rickonine. Creative Commons BY-NC.

To protect the public and slow the spread of the coronavirus, countless schools, businesses, and offices have been closed across the country. Several states have issued shelter-in-place orders and many more will likely follow. Many courts have stopped hearing non-emergency matters, including evictions. All of these urgent actions are being enacted in order to “flatten the curve.”

If we are lucky, these measures will reduce the rate and incidence of COVID-19 infections. But there is no way around the fact that our efforts to flatten the curve have already sharply increased the unemployment curve and are setting up a steep increase in evictions. Last week’s unemployment figures (which come out a week behind) already showed an astounding increase in claims, and next week looks exponentially worse. The longer businesses are shut down and shelter-in-place orders are in effect, the higher the total unemployment numbers will climb. Moody’s Analytics recently estimated up to 80 million U.S. jobs face some level of risk due to coronavirus, with 27 million at “high-risk.” Without income, millions will be unable to pay rent (or mortgages). As a result, millions of people are at risk of losing their homes during and in the aftermath of the pandemic.

In addition to bolstering workers with paid leave and stabilizing local economies, federal, state, and local governments must also protect Americans from the threat of eviction and homelessness. Every government branch with the power to do so must take steps immediately to protect the public health by: (1) adopting moratoriums to keep tenant households from being evicted throughout the duration of the crisis; (2) advancing social distancing goals by eliminating unnecessary interpersonal contacts for non-emergency inspections, meetings, moves, serving notices, lawsuits, hearings, physical evictions, and other such purposes; and (3) developing policies that enable tenants or mortgagees who fell behind in payments due to the pandemic to resolve their arrearages over time and remain in their homes once the moratoriums are lifted. 

Halting Evictions Flattens the Curve

Each stage of the eviction process has the potential to increase COVID-19 transmission. Tenants, landlords, juries, attorneys, judges, court personnel, process servers, and sheriffs’ departments are all at increased risk. And, of course, anyone infected during this process could then spread the novel coronavirus in other clusters. 

At the same time, any tenants who are evicted and lose their housing during the pandemic will have a reduced ability to practice social distancing—and most definitely cannot comply with shelter-in-place orders. For these families and individuals, contagion risk will increase. Their health will be further compromised as eviction almost always results in increased instability and homelessness, or a downward move to a disadvantaged neighborhood and/or substandard conditions. Many families and individuals who are evicted are forced to double up, reside in poor-quality housing, or become homeless, which have all been linked to poorer health outcomes

What Eviction Moratoriums Must Include

All states and local jurisdictions should take steps immediately to ensure that evictions processes are halted. While many states and local jurisdictions have taken steps to halt evictions, others have yet to do so. Those who have taken action have often taken steps that are incomplete or inconsistent, creating a risk of increasing barriers to justice. Here are the components that would be required to truly have the public health effects needed.

Cover All Phases and Facets

An effective eviction moratorium must cover the five key phases of an eviction.

Details may vary between states, between local jurisdictions within states, and even between courtrooms within a single jurisdiction, but generally eviction entails five key phases:

    • First, the landlord gives the tenant an eviction notice, directing the tenant to vacate the dwelling unit by a specified date.
    • Second, the landlord initiates a judicial eviction lawsuit (often called “unlawful detainer” or “forcible detainer”) against a tenant who has remained in the premises beyond the date specified in the eviction notice.  
    • Third, the court holds a hearing (or series of hearings) to receive evidence and legal arguments (from the landlord, the tenant, and other witnesses or relevant persons) that will be used to decide the case.
    • Fourth, the court issues a ruling. If the ruling is to evict the tenant, this will include a judgment directing the tenant to vacate the premises (and, often, to pay back rent or other damages and costs to the landlord), and will include (or authorize the court clerk to enter) an order directing the local sheriff to physically remove the tenant.
    • Fifth, and finally, the sheriff will execute the order to remove the tenant by conducting a physical eviction. 

Stopping any one phase will tend to prevent eviction cases that have not yet reached that phase from proceeding during the moratorium period. However, stopping only one phase of eviction does not affect cases that have already passed that phase, and does not prevent cases from being processed through the stages prior to the one that is halted. 

For example, a moratorium on court hearings would prevent any tenant whose case has not already been heard from being evicted (since without a hearing, the court cannot enter an order directing the sheriff to remove them, and without such an order the sheriff will not conduct a physical eviction). But such a moratorium would not prevent the physical eviction of tenants whose cases have already been heard. And it would not prevent landlords from issuing eviction notices, with which many tenants would likely comply to avoid being sued (and thus risking liability for court costs and attorney fees and likely acquiring eviction records that could harm their ability to secure housing elsewhere). A restriction on hearings would also not prevent landlords from filing new cases, potentially building up an avalanche of pending evictions for when the moratorium expires.

While state legislatures have power to implement moratoriums that reach all five steps, many have yet to act. Where state legislation is not forthcoming, addressing all five aspects of the eviction process may require multiple, overlapping acts by different officials and levels of government, as each may control different aspects of the eviction process. For instance, a state emergency management statute may authorize the governor to restrict the issuance of new eviction notices or the physical execution of eviction orders, while an order restricting new court filings or canceling eviction dockets may need to come from the state’s supreme court or other judicial official. Local legislative bodies may have similar powers in their jurisdictions, especially in home rule states, but may be constrained by state landlord-tenant and judicial procedure laws. 

Prohibit Late Fees

In addition to freezing evictions, government officials should prohibit the imposition of late fees and similar charges. These provisions are necessary to ensure that no tenant is involuntarily displaced from her home during the pandemic, that tenants do not become powerless to avoid eviction at the end of the moratorium through accumulated fees they could not avoid, or the waiver of legal rights and protections they could not exercise. Halting these fees also helps to keep the eviction curve flatter than it would otherwise be.

Cover Everyone

Some jurisdictions are limiting their eviction moratoriums to nonpayment cases caused by COVID-19 matters. In adopting eviction moratoriums, policymakers should avoid limiting coverage to certain types of cases or making exceptions for particular types of lease violations. Any such limitations and exceptions create ambiguity, inviting litigation, counteracting social distancing goals, and undermining the security and peace of mind that many renters need when being asked to stay home, often at significant financial cost.  

While jurisdictions may be tempted to include exceptions for truly violent or destructive criminal activity, criminal law enforcement or civil protection order proceedings promise a faster and more expedient means of removing such a perpetrator than eviction. Should political circumstances make the inclusion of such a provision necessary, advocates should work to ensure any exceptions are narrowly drawn and carefully detailed to eliminate ambiguity and minimize the need for interpretation or opportunity for creative application.

Adjust Landlord Access to Units

During the crisis, critical conditions—like mold, leaks, lead hazards, or essential service terminations—that could threaten the health of occupants must be addressed in a timely manner and units be maintained by owners in a safe and habitable state. However, states should set reasonable limits on landlord access to rental units during this time so that public health objectives are not undermined. Limits should include halting routine rental inspections or other non-essential unit entry and allowing tenants to refuse access when they are or believe they may be ill or are in a group that is at high risk of complications from COVID-19.

Duration

Eviction moratoriums should remain in effect at least throughout the duration of the public health crisis, and ideally long enough thereafter to allow tenants whose incomes were disrupted during the pandemic to apply for and obtain any relief benefits that may be forthcoming or otherwise work out payment plans. States should not lift or cancel moratoriums without clear and well-publicized notice, at least 14 days in advance.   

Looking Forward

As vital as it is to ensure that the eviction process and related systems do not contribute to spreading COVID-19, it is also essential that leaders plan now for what happens after the health crisis is over. As with the medical system, there were known stress fractures in the system that are now being broken wide open.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the eviction system was already stressed in many areas across the United States. Unless we plan for how the eviction system will evolve after the pandemic, courts everywhere will be clogged to a stopping point and our collective goal of securing access to justice will be delayed.

COVID-19 has put a spotlight on the United States’ affordable housing crisis and its deep socioeconomic divide. As we look ahead to the pandemic aftermath, it is paramount that any strategies to repair the country include improving health equity and ensuring safe and decent housing for every one of us.

[Update: On April 13, Regional Housing Legal Services released a map that shows which jurisdictions are covered by eviction moratoriums, and how they measure up to the criteria described in this article.]

Emily A. Benfer is visiting associate clinical professor of law and the director of the Health Justice Advocacy Clinic at Columbia Law School. She is co-principal of Health Justice Innovations, LLC.
Eric Dunn is the litigation director at the National Housing Law Project, and co-counsel for the plaintiffs in CFHC, Arroyo v. Corelogic Rental Property Solutions, LLC. A housing rights advocate for 19 years in Detroit, Michigan, and Seattle, Washington, Dunn is now based in Richmond, Virginia.
Norrinda Brown Hayat is an associate clinical professor at Rutgers Law School in Newark and the director of the Civil Justice Clinic.
Rachel Blake is the associate director at Regional Housing Legal Services. She devotes most of her time to systemic advocacy efforts, using her six years of experience representing nonprofit affordable housing developers to inform her work.

39 COMMENTS

    • Maybe the best but what happens us single mother out here raising our 1 year old child & like Idk mothers that do it but I did & used my SSI check on myself & helped my roommates when they had no money to eat and when ever they had money they help us out, they are even helping take care of my son and they honestly don’t have to. like a girl I haven’t talked to in 7 months and offering to give me $50 just because a roommate that was on lease hasn’t even been to there own home in about 2 month & landlord comes and tells me and me sons dad the roommates not coming back and took his name off lease and left its to us without a word and now when have to pay 1500 and we have to find a way to come up with 2 x $1500 just so we can have my son stay safe I used the other all on my son so he can have a actual mattress to lay on & his food, clothes (winter stuff) its hard trying to save money for rent when my child needs supplies and has so many appointments I have to take him on a bus or get us a lyft. It is hard but I push through it because it is my job so I know my child will be safe and have a place to sleep at night. Like shit females out here selling they bodies to just to make some type of payment for their rent and support their children.

      If you are a parent willing to do anything for your children weather man or female respect all the way

  1. Could eviction courts be used as a vehicle to validate COVID 19 as a cause for non payment (direct case or loss of employment due to…) and assign a rental voucher to the otherwise eviction eligible resident? This could preserve the housing service to the resident while protecting the rental property from debilitating economic vacancy.

  2. This story is so one sided. A landlord is still expected to pay heat, hot water, sewer, water bills, insurance, taxes, maintenance and a mortgage. I will work with my tenants and I wouldn’t evict anyone under these circumstances but the reality is I have bills to pay that keep everything running. I wonder how the town is going to feel if I don’t pay my real estate taxes?

    • These sorts of musings on how to intervene against the free market are for the most part written by socialists for socialists. And government, whether it be – town – city – state – federal – is socialist and comprised of socialists. By this point in American history the hapless landlord is largely confined to playing the role of collection agent for the socialists of local government: A huge fraction of rent payed by tenants passes straight through to the socialists of government in the guise of property tax. For the socialist writers who ply the waters of public policy, it is simply a given that their brethren in government are entitled to whatever monies they can extract from rent paying tenants. That money is NEVER up for debate, never under consideration for a part of the ‘moratorium’.

      • Totally agreed! My tenants are not working, get all the assistance from city and feds and don’t want to pay! They owed me including August about $7,000.00 They are not intend to pay. The balance will continue to grow! I am a senior citizen, have 2 mortgages to pay and all other expenses! They enjoying free life style and feel feel protected while I depleting my savings! State and city illegally forcing me to waist my investment and don’t care if I will become homeless!

        • So sad, so true, so sorry. Some people are outright abusing what most really need. There definitely need to come up with something different to protect landlords like yourself in these situations. I pray it all work out

    • I am a landlord, tenant now owes me three month rent $4000, I still have to pay the mortgage $1200 a month. Tenant simply says “do what you have to”, and I can not do anything. With three children and wife, he got $4000 from our goverment for Covid-19, he is collecting unemployment+$600 per week, wife working, and one kid receiving disability.
      He is getting all the free money, and the I am basically paying his rent while he is enjoying his life.
      How beautiful, what is wrong with this picture.

      • I here you who ever wrote this article must be working on the great reset. Kill small business!!! Its not about COVID 19 they Five key facts are being ignored by those calling for continuing the near-total lockdown

    • Homeowners and landlords are invisible to this moratorium. Heaven forbid if the landlord is unable to financially keep units habitable due to lack of funds then the landlord is deemed a slumlord. Meanwhile tenants afford more rights to what they do not own. Renting is not ownership.

      What has not happened is inclusivity of tenant, landlord, and banks on how payments will be made to either the landlord or the banks. None of the back rental payments should ever touch the hands of tenants. EVER.

  3. I am concerned that an emotionally abusive tenant, who’s rent is being waived under the pandemic, but their lease has ended, is to be tolerated for the duration of the public health crisis. The tenant’s employer is continuing operations and the tenant has income to apply to a new residence. Local, affordable housing is available. Tenant maintains an inner circle of daily contacts, exposing each other to infection, and who are capable of executing a move. We and tenant are on the same land parcel in two different buildings. We are supposed to just suffer this or wait until an act of violence is committed? There’s more to this than the article addresses.

    • Having a mortgage in a property actually is a privilege for the mortgage company is also obligated to similar rules as tenants. Those like me that have no mortgages are the ones at higher risk for the towns want their tax money regardless. There is no moratorium for them. And more over being a small renter makes matters even worse. I only rent out 6 units and 2 of them are already at fault for the rent of May. That’s 25% of my rent revenue. So if two more tenants default my rental properties will become insolvent.

  4. I’m a tenant in a commercial property, I rented the space for 5 years and 5 years option on December 5/2019 with a 3 months free rent and the payment to be started 3/1/2020.
    So my original opening date was 3/1/2020 then the whole world come down on me.
    I did moved from Florida to CT for this specific location and I did put all my effort and money in it for 6 months now I was told by my landlord on march if I don’t pay the rent for march I should hand him the store back to him? (That’s was absurd) I spend 5 months working on the store repairs, fixtures equipment’s, licenses, permits, inspections, etc.
    I finally did open the store Pickup and delivery Only on 4/6/2020 so I was one month rent behind and the landlord wasn’t excepting the rent money, wanted me to hand it to him the place that I worked so hard to get it ready free and clear? (That’s a BS)
    Then 2 weeks later on May 6 I received a letter to Quit from his Attorney, even in the state of CT it was (No Notice to Quit or Service of Summery Process Before July 1) is that even legal?
    So as a Tennent I feel sometime the landlord’s get to wash their taxes at the end of the year on the property, and have the tenants like me fix their property, double the price rent and evict people without e good reason so only they can benefit? That’s Wrong.
    Please forgive in any typos I’m Just a Italian Chef

  5. I was evicted from my place to live, with out any notice given and have had to use all my funds paying for a hotel so my son and i didnt end up on the streets, is there anything i can do to seek help or to get my money back>

  6. THANK YOU! This was an EXCELLENT description of these issues written by experts in the field. I have been searching for this content for months now, to present to my Mayor, City Council and County BoS to consider when voting on our moratorium ordinances.

    It’s much too complicated to try to explain my own personal situation – having been unable to find a rental in March when I agreed to move out because most people were closing up shop & not signing new leases – I was granted a single stay of NO-FAULT eviction – the DAY BEFORE the state declared shelter-in-place emergency. I don’t have a car, couldn’t use rideshares to go look at places even if they were showing, which they weren’t, even if it were safe for me to be out and about, which it’s not, even if I hadn’t spent my deposit money on food, which I did, even if I hadn’t lost my income and could still qualify for a lease, which now I don’t.

    I’m NOT delinquent in rent, therefore I have no legal protections whatsoever. My only stay of eviction expired mid-lockdown. There’s no more court hearings left for me to ask for more time & I have no other recourse. As soon as the Sheriff starts executing Writs in a few days, I’ll be sleeping in my car. COVID-19 may not be the CAUSE of the eviction, but it will certainly be the CAUSE of my being homeless, with health problems that put me at risk, in the middle of a pandemic, through absolutely no fault of my own.

    Oddly, while temporarily prohibiting NO-FAULT evictions where the tenant is not delinquent on rent & has committed no violations – such as for LL move-in, major rehab, taking rental off-market to sell – is MORE PROTECTIVE for at-risk tenants – in most cases it’s MUCH LESS BURDENSOME for LL’s than prohibiting eviction for non-payment of rent.

    One person’s solution causes another’s problem.

  7. My tenant owes over 3,000 in back rent and when asked if she
    is able to make a rent payment
    she doesn’t give an answer.
    I don’t think that a landord has
    to keep paying mortgage and
    other bills while tenant occupies the rental unit. Tenants and landlords should have the same rights.don’t pay
    mortgage until end of pandemic.

  8. Yes, but eventually you will have to come up with all the monies and the tenant may be able to get away with not having to pay. This is totally unfair to us landlords

  9. One thing that seems to be missing from the discussion re protecting tenants from eviction during the pandemic (and later), is how to support the landlords. As several people have noted, they are still on the hook for their mortgage payments as well as operating and maintenance costs. Landlords foregoing rents for tenants unable to pay must also have policies protecting their investment in affordable housing … A large majority of affordable housing (esp naturally occurring) is currently owned by small businesses (LLCs) and mom&pop operations – if these properties go into foreclosure and fail, many of them may be purchased by investment firms and hedge funds… and in all likelihood, the housing will no longer be affordable and the economic damage would be widespread.

  10. I am in Sacramento, California. I was going to evict a section 8 tenant in April. She owe me her share of the rent back to last December. Due to COVID-19, i waited until now with all business open. i just serve my tenant a three day notice. The tenant said that her case worker in section 8 stated that we have to serve her a 60 day notice instead due to the pandemic. I am wondering if that’s true. Since her rent was owe before COVID-19. I just don’t see how the law should protect the tenant.

  11. Hi my name is Rosa ive live in my place for a lil more then 7 yrs. And before my my brother lived here for abt 6 or 7 yrs. Well the whole time the same fence has been here. Now they want to envict my for not removing the fence while almost everybody have. Fences put up too. Can they still evict my for not taking it down?

  12. I have been renting the property for a year on May 13 I was sent a letter that lease was not going to get re newed and that I have to move out by7/31. I have 5 children the youngest 2 and 3. Me and my wife have been looking for a place to move but because of the pandemic we have not found a property. Now the time is getting closer can not find anything and relestate agency’s are charging background checks and have 3 to 4 applications already in q and still want to charge and collect app fees and are not refundable. Trying to do Alot apartment complexes are full and have a waiting list. How am I protected so that I won’t be homeless and my family.

  13. I am retired and own 3 rental houses to augment my small social security. I have tenants who moved in march 1st. they lost their jobs two weeks later and have paid me nothing since . they say they have not received any of their unemployment or their 1200 dollar govt check. They will not show me any proof.
    what are my options? They now owe me 5,750. who can I contact to get them out and hopefully get at least part of whats owed back.

  14. I would have zero problem but for a renter who is disruptive. I understand the hardship we are all going thru and pray about it often. The disruptive person has mental health issues as well as alcohol issues. It is seemingly impossible to reason with a mentally ill special needs person. The attitude is , “I have done nothing wrong. “
    I have at least 54 police reports about this person
    Causing stress and grievances to others. There are more than 100 complaints I have received by text about other renters having grievances against her. There is suffering on their part due to the disruptive hostile behavior. I dislike seeing others abused regardless of one’s mental capacities. For the sake of peace in the local community, I want her out. I pray she ever gets the help she needs. She seems to be unable to be helped as, to get better, the first step is to realize change is needed. Her attitude is, “I’ve done nothing wrong.” She seems incapable of reflecting on her behavior to improve it or to see where improvement is needed. I continue to pray and wish nothing bad on her. Only to remove her from the local scene and keep her at a distance from my property or it’s occupants. She withheld information about herself that would have disqualified her from renting my property or she would not be there now. I want her out. I want sane peaceful renters Who care for the place and pay when they can . Who cooperate and are upstanding. Renters sane, without special mental problems that result in disruptive behavior.

  15. To all the property owners who are complaining about how unfair this situation is to them. While no doubt that you are also getting hit negatively by this crisis, look at it from a human point of view rather than dollars and cents capitalist view. I ask implore you to answer the following questions….The house that you currently reside in (for which you are most likely paying a mortgage or is perhaps paid off) therefore you either own it, or on the way to ownership once paid off. Is said house Bigger/Nicer in terms of looks, neighborhood, and all your furnishing when compared to where and how your tenants reside? The vehicle/s that you and your family drive are THEY older/uglier when compared to your tenants? Basically, Is your standard of living lower than your tenants?
    I’m not saying you should be ashamed or somehow be punished for having prospered more than your tenants. I’m just asking you to realize that a financial crisis is always worse on those who have less. Just like big corporation may suffer financially during a recession, but it’s the small “Mom and Pop” stores that end up shutting their doors. In much the same way you have the means to get thru this without taking food off of your children’s plates. Don’t you see that you’re much better off and would you trade your situation with a tenant?
    Surely you have prospered during the housing crisis that has seen rents go up and up and up….and Good for You! I’m glad that you were in the right position at the right time….Enjoy your money! But please DO NOT lose your humanity and take it out on the less fortunate, because your profit was less or none at all last month….Or, In the rare case, where you went out and bought a 2 million dollar Bugati last month and now you have put yourself in a financial bind….that should never be visited on your tenants.
    We keep saying “We’re all in this together”….well then let’s work together like we mean it!

    • I am a landlord with 2 rental units located within 2 blocks of my home. These units are nicer than my home. While neither are paying rent they are collecting unemployment plus welfare for one unit and disability for the other. One has been able to rent a new full size truck and the other has been redecorating I see the furniture trucks surprisingly often.

      I am retired thus do not qualify for unemployment, live on a fixed income and because I am responsible for keeping their utilities on (lest I be penalised for failing to maintain living conditions) the supplemental income (aka rental units) that I worked for all my life, scrimping, saving and going without all so that I could support myself and not have to depend on gov to support me are now bleeding me. I am quickly depleting the modest savings I had. Oh wait, did I tell you about not being able to pay for my own daughters wedding?.
      Mr Ayromloo I’m not saying you should be ashamed or somehow be punished for assuming that you somehow know what your talking about. I’m just asking you to realize that you don’t, but I will try to keep my humanity and thank you for reminding me we are all in this together.

    • Mr. Ayromloo, you wrote:
      “We keep saying ‘We’re all in this together’….well then let’s work together like we mean it!”

      But isn’t the government also included in this “togetherness?” We’re all in this together, save the socialistic government? What the California government is doing to small landlords is making them provide free social services without refund. Eviction moratorium=rent moratorium, indeed!

      I am 78 years old on fixed income, who was able to pay my mortgage dutifully until the government mandated that the tenant in my basement apartment does not have to pay rent until after the pandemic is over. Meanwhile I still have to pay taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance.

      So my mortgage provider gave me deferment for three months, after which I’ll have to pay double. But my tenant has not been paying rent since June. It’s now November.

      Instead, tenant complains of the place being “inhabitable” and threatens to call the home inspector on me and possibly take me to court. While not paying rent, lovely.

      The two maintenance men (brothers) helping me assured me all repairs have been done well, and take offense at her complaints. They even threaten to stop helping me if their work will be subject to the tenant’s satisfaction instead of my approval. They, too, suspect tenant simply does not want to pay rent permanently, that’s why she complains. She complains and drives me crazy because she knows the moratorium prevents her from being evicted.

      Meanwhile, tenant drives a brand new car. Any idea on how to make California government pay for her back rents?

  16. what bout senior tenants with Landord leaves her in all broken plumbing, electric failiures AC out in 110 degrees with answes always “have to ck home owners insurance,” &disapears not responding to mold , fungus etc, how does he have legal right Evict a paying 70s senior lady?

  17. how do I suppose to pay my bills since u are asking the tenants not to pay their rent, and how am I suppose to pay for and eviction without money?

  18. Despite I’m a commercial tenant, I’ll favor equal rights for landlords. If the indigent tenant due to Pandemic or with any other reason comes on government freebies and pay nothing in return and enjoy, teasing landlords who still are left to pay their mortgages, taxes, and penalties if any, this is not fair to say its OK. No this is not OK. Pandemic affected every section of life so to landlords also. Their mortgages must be waived off for the same period and later they should be asked to pay it but in the same ratio, they get paid by their tenants, the overdue rent. This arrangement would end all public havoc of hussle or litigations and all of them would fall in one common law too. During the Pandemic, if we cannot get compensation from China, then we certainly have to help each other.

  19. Everything I’ve read here makes sense and both have solid points of issue.im not going to bash my extremely well off landlord….im positive that this place I rent for over 600 a month is paid for…it belonged to his granma who passed away 20 years ago..its still in her name so he doesn’t have to pay the inheritance tax…. The land tax or property tax is 57 dollars a year….i understand that he wants and needs his money. ..and I pay something every week.. He’s evicting people who are 300 or more behind… At present we are 210 in the hole….i don’t know what we’d do if evicted…wed have no place to go…is their help for this in the state of alabama??

  20. You have no idea on how much the landlords suffering!!!

    I am a landlord of 4 units ( it is almost lifetime savings). Two Tenants are paying and Two tenants completely stopped paying the rent from March 2020, as they know they can’t be evicted.

    These two tenants working & ( I believe) earning same levels , but started enjoying extra luxury ( Celebrating big birth day parties with crowd, inviting lots of friends home, having luxury TV packages, buying expensive gadgets, TVs, Car ) in-lieu of paying rents. Each one owe more than $10,000/- and water/sewer bills.

    I am struggling to make mortgage, tax and insurance payments and you cannot believe the township initiated liens and tax sale for the tax and water bills on 11/12/2020 for the taxes due on 11/01/2020, such promptness in collecting the taxes.
    I end up paying extra $150 to remove the lien and cashier checks each $8 and 18% interest.

    I am a landlord borrowed a loan from my personal 401k and paid the mortgage, Insurance , water, sewer bills, property taxes and maintenance expenses just to keep out of bankruptcy. Really really painful being a landlord. I applied for NJ Governor’s SLEG and it is rejected without review. (the reason gave for rejection: “Name not found in BHI/DCA Database”, but BHI certificate was issued by DCA and attached)

    Bottom line, the articles and government make the tenants keep all privileges’ and enjoy their life, while landlord are becoming beggars and going to street.

  21. The temporary moratorium imposed under Section 5 of this Rule shall not apply to evictions relating to the protection of life and safety, including, but not limited to, circumstances where a tenant threatens another tenant or other person(s) with a firearm or other deadly weapon or some other unlawful use of a firearm or other deadly weapon on the rental premises, or for physically assaulting or placing another person in immediate physical danger on the rental premises.

  22. Ok, my landlord is starting eviction on me because I paid 450 in rent and got my heat fixed because they told me to find someone to fix it I did gave them the receipt of 350.00 now there saying it’s bogus that I did this to get rent off my heat hasn’t worked since Oct and they have done nothing about it and it’s my kids and just be here what should I do because I did what they said now they want 364.77 by tomorrow or I’m getting evicted.

  23. I take a room for rent for 100$ and all these are fixed including the electricity bill and internet bills. But he wants more and says I forget to say the electricity bill is not included in your actual bill.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.