evicting a tenant

[Fiza]

hi

some advice needed please. i have a tenant in an outbuilding that does not have a lease. I do not want him there anymore as i would like to use the house myself, how do I go about evicting him? what sort of minimum notice period is required by law? and costs involved in evicting him? i have spoken to him and he says he will not leave, even if i get a lawyers eviction notice he says he will not leave. can i change locks or cut off services? get some shady characters to move in there? any of that legal? any advice is appreciated

 

[Grubscrew]

How did he end up in the outbuilding, is he paying rent?

 

[Arthur]

Same as his payment period. If he pays daily, then one day notice. Et cetera.

Grub, an outbuilding can have 3 bedrooms with en suite bathrooms (or whatever). Depends on the size of the Main Building, I s'pose.

 

[Fiza]

we had a rent free verbal agreement

 

[saturnz]

Cutting off of services is illegal, as well as the other methods you refer too

The eviction process may take about three or so months and may cost you around R5000-R8000 in legal expenses if all goes well.

If the guy is working and earning an income then the courts will not be very sympathetic but if he is unemployed you may be stuck with this situation.

 

[Avenue]

yes, cutting off services is illegal, but it will take the same amount of time to get to court and cost him just as much in legal fees. Though take that with a disclaimer that I don't actually know what I am talking about.

 

[vicv]

Change the locks? He's not paying you anything.

 

[The Grim]

I’ve got 3 property’s that I rent out and the best way to get one out is giving him/her one month (29 days) notice, after this is done and he don’t want to go u can get the police out to move him…
U did ask him to get out and he did not apply.
Also go the right way and legal way and get the sheriff to serve him a legal notice that he need to get out by the end of the month