As a landlord, you have to make the tough decisions. Between maintenance, tenants and rent schedules, you are balancing several different aspects of managing the property. Most of the time, you will have to make a choice you don’t want to make.
For example, you will make an eviction at some point. You may be tempted to rush along the eviction process to reduce the pain on yourself and the tenant. However, you can expedite an eviction in Missouri?
Rushing the process may be necessary
Landlords have the right to evict tenants, but they need to have the appropriate reasons to follow through. In Missouri, landlords may evict a tenant if:
- Not paying rent
- Assaulting another tenant
- Conducting illegal behavior on the property, including gambling or drug-related crimes
- Violating a lease provision
- Damaging the property
- Staying on the property after a lease expiration
If a tenant commits any of these violations, a landlord may start the eviction process by submitting an order to the Missouri court. However, a landlord may expedite the eviction proceedings if:
- The tenant sublets the property without proper notification
- The tenant commits any drug-related activity on the premise
- The tenant causes damage equal to more than 12 months of rent
It’s crucial to understand there are only specific circumstances where a landlord has the right to expedite a tenant’s eviction. Otherwise, they need to follow the same protocol they would for any other eviction situation – which means the tenant has the right to fight the eviction in court.
If you are a landlord who is defending an eviction in Missouri, consider finding the right representation to reflect the circumstances of the conviction and provide your perspective on the difficult decision.