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Just bought a duplex in Ohio, tenants said they would be out by the 1st?

And they left alot of their items sitting on the porch of the duplex, they never gave a key back to the previous owner. What are my rights as the new owner/landlord? Do I have the right to remove the items from the property???? or what should I do??? Keep in mind this tenant has not lived in the apartment for 2 weeks, and has done a lot of damage to the property.

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  • 10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Smartest thing to do is to consult an attorney. You need to have the laws behind you before you do anything.

    If the unit is considered abandoned, you typically have the right to enter without notice. For the left items, you will have to follow state law on this. This may be different than simple 'abandoned property' as a storage unit would have, it is property left behind in a rental. Many states have a CLEAR distinction. You will likely have to contact the tenant at their last known address (you can send it to this address and it may get forwarded) and give them a certain amount of days to claim the property. If they fail to claim it, you can do with it as you please.

    The attorney will advise you on whether or not you can change the locks. You may need to issue a final notice of termination of tenancy just so there is no confusion.

    http://www.ohiolandlordtenant.com/abandon.html

    http://www.ehow.com/info_8701075_abandoned-persona...

  • 10 years ago

    Why would you let the property close until the tenants had vacated the property and seller had cleaned the place up? That is a major mistake. Sounds like that you are not prepared to be be a landlord.

    The property left behind by the old tenant is now your problem. It is called abandoned property and you are now legally responsible for it. Check your state laws concerning abandoned property for the state of Ohio. Every state has differing requirement. My state requires that you take the property and put in is a safe and secure location under lock and key. Send the tenant a itemized list of contents and notice of how he can get is property back. Then if the tenant doesn't claim it you are required to sell the property and send the money to the tenants.

    I'm betting that you didn't even receive the tenants security deposit from the seller and now you are being stuck for all the repairs. Sounds like you got screwed by just about everybody.

  • 4 years ago

    It would not rely in case you elect her there or no longer!! you're paying for an occupied abode with a hire, you get no selection interior the subject. you will desire to honor her hire! you won't be able to provider any style of observe except she violates the hire! the present proprietor won't be able to do away along with her the two. She has a hire and additionally you in basic terms would desire to handle it. you will desire to have discovered if this replace right into a danger in the previous you obtain it! in case you do no longer desire a tenant then do no longer purchase a house with somebody in a hire!! EDIT: in case you elect to objective to purchase her out your fee would desire to be the comparable as hers if she had to interrupt the hire. Pay her what ever her hire spoil cost may well be. If her hire would not state one then pay her 2 months hire on the grounds it incredibly is a typical hire spoil cost.

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