Due to the current housing shortage, rising inflation, energy price hikes, and a cost of living crisis, a lot of people are facing eviction. During the pandemic’s early days landlords were forbidden from evicting people. The laws that prevented them from doing this have now been removed, which means that landlords can take action against tenants who aren’t able to pay their rent.
If you have been unfortunate enough to receive an eviction notice, then you are probably wondering what you are supposed to do. This post will tell you, so you can stop worrying as much.
Arranging Storage
One of the first things that you need to do if you are being evicted is to find somewhere to store your belongings. Even if you are able to move in with a relative until you are able to find somewhere new, no doubt they will not want you bringing all of your furniture and things with you. Thankfully, you can book a storage unit online for next to nothing. Then, you can hire or borrow a van and transport all of your things there. Storage lockers can be leased monthly or annually. Make sure that you wrap all of your belongings in waterproof protective wrapping so that they don’t become damaged. Not wrapping them could lead to them becoming damaged or damp, which could then lead to mold forming on them.
Legal Protections
Before arranging storage, however, work out whether or not you have any legal protections. In the United States, you probably don’t. In other countries, you might. Research your country’s law regarding evictions. In the United Kingdom, for example, landlords can’t evict people immediately. It can take months and even years before a person actually has to leave their landlord’s property, post-eviction. If you do not have to leave immediately then it is a good idea to stay there until you can find somewhere new. While it is true that your landlord will lose out on money, you need to prioritize your safety.
Negotiating Stay
Sometimes, landlords issue empty threats. If your landlord has threatened to evict you then they might not actually mean it, it could just be an intimidation tactic. After being told you are being evicted, contact your landlord and try to negotiate with them. If you had a good relationship with them in the past then they might be willing to talk to you. If you are being evicted because you haven’t been paying rent, then promising to pay your landlord in full could be a highly effective way of convincing them to let you stay. Also, offering to pay them another few months’ rent in advance could have the same effect.
Finding Accommodation
If your landlord doesn’t want to negotiate with you and wants you out as quickly as possible, then you need to start looking for alternative accommodation. If you need to leave immediately, then you might want to ask a relative if you can stay with them. However, if you are estranged from your family and have nowhere else to go, then you may instead want to register for a homeless shelter or a hostel. While unpleasant, these places can give you somewhere to stay while you find new accommodation.
Pet Care
If you have pets, then you won’t be able to take them to a homeless shelter or hostel with you. Your only options are to give them away, leave them with family, or put them into a boarding facility temporarily. Boarding facilities can be very expensive but can be a great way to keep your pet safe while you find somewhere else to live. Giving your pet to family members can also be a good way of keeping your pet safe, however, if your family aren’t really pet people then it might not be the best option.
Canceling Bills
Immediately after you have been evicted, you need to ring up your gas, water, and energy providers and explain to them that you are no longer living in the property. Your liability for the bills stops the moment you receive an eviction notice. It is from then on the landlord’s responsibility. If you do not cancel your bills, then they will continue billing you and taking money out of your account. Canceling your bills will help you to save money and get enough together to pay for a new apartment or house. You should also cancel any unnecessary streaming subscriptions or services if you are short on cash.
Evictions can be a stressful time and it’s hard to know what to do, which is why you need to follow this post’s advice. Make sure that you at least try to negotiate with your landlord post-eviction, to try and stay for a little while longer.