Is Your Tenant Absconding? This Is What You Need To Do

Susheel Bhalla, a Delhi-based doctor, rented his 2BHK apartment in Noida Sector 78 to a working professional. All was going fine and Bhalla was receiving the rent on time. However, one fine day after nine months the tenant absconded. Bhalla got to know about this development when he visited the apartment to collect the rent. When inquired with the neighbourers, Bhalla got to know the man was not seen for about 10 days now. He was last seen leaving with all his belongings

Bhalla was in a fix.

Now, what should a landlord do to be updated about their tenants if they stay at a distant location?

*Did your tenant skip the rent and is not taking your calls? This could one of the prime ways to gauge you're your tenant has absconded. Begin with calling the emergency numbers provided by the tenant. This includes their family's phone number or their office contact.

*First, call up the neighbours. Check with them if there is any development on the tenant moving out with their things, or how long has been that they last saw your tenant.

*Call up the utilities office to know if the bills are being paid or are the services being used. Ask for the meter readings.

*If there is still no information, pay a visit to the apartment. Use the duplicate keys and check if the furniture or other material the tenant brought to the property is there or not.

These factors together would indicate towards the tenant absconding from the property.

What next?

In case you are a landlord whose tenant has absconded, here is what you can do to ensure you are not duped:

*Issue a notice against the tenant asking for the reason of abandonment of the apartment.

*Get his office address or his permanent address to send out the notice.

*In case there is no response, file a suit of eviction against the tenant on the basis of non-payment of rent and also, for leaving the property without any prior notice.

*In case the tenant doesn't appear in the court during hearings, the court will decide in your favour.

What to do with tenant property?

Unlike in Bhalla's case where the tenant took his belongings, there are times when the tenant's material properties are still within the premises. In such a scenario, make sure you do not do away with those things. Do not try to sell or give it to someone else or the tenant might file a suit against you for selling what belonged to them. Also, do not lock the property with a lock of your own.

In case you want to sell the tenant's belongings in the property to compensate the loss you have incurred, you will have to move the court for the same. Once the court approves, you could go out and sell the tenant's unclaimed belongings.