5 Eviction Mistakes That Cost Landlords Thousands of Dollars
Eviction is already one of the most expensive things a landlord can go through. Between lost rent, court fees, attorney costs, and turnover expenses, even a straightforward eviction can run $3,000 to $5,000. But landlords who make procedural mistakes? They can double or triple that number — and add months to the timeline.
Here are the five most common and most costly eviction mistakes, and how to avoid them.
1. Serving the Wrong Notice
Every eviction starts with a written notice. The type of notice depends on the reason for eviction (nonpayment, lease violation, holdover), and the required time period depends on your state. A 3-day pay-or-quit notice in a state that requires 10 days will get your case dismissed before you even see a courtroom.
This is the single most common reason eviction cases get thrown out. The landlord used a generic notice template from the internet without verifying that it matches their state’s specific requirements — the time period, the required language, the delivery method.
Every state is different. North Carolina requires 10 days for nonpayment. Texas requires just 3. New Jersey requires 30 days for certain situations. And some states have different notice periods depending on whether it’s a month-to-month or a fixed-term lease. You need to know the exact requirements for your state before you serve anything. Underground Landlord’s state-by-state eviction law guide breaks down the specific notice requirements for all 50 states.
2. Accepting Partial Payment After Serving Notice
This is the trap that catches experienced landlords, not just beginners. You serve a pay-or-quit notice for $1,200 in overdue rent. Three days later, the tenant shows up with $400 in cash and a promise to pay the rest by Friday. You take the $400 because some money is better than no money.
Congratulations — in many states, you just reset the entire eviction process. Accepting any payment after serving notice can be interpreted by the court as waiving the notice and creating a new tenancy agreement. You’d have to start over with a new notice for the remaining balance.
The safest approach is simple: once you’ve served notice, do not accept any partial payment. If the tenant wants to pay in full before the notice period expires, great — that’s the point of a pay-or-quit notice. But partial payment during an active eviction is a legal minefield. Consult your state’s specific rules or an attorney before accepting anything.
3. Self-Help Eviction
Changing the locks. Shutting off the water. Removing the front door. Putting their belongings on the curb. These are all illegal in every single state, and they will cost you far more than the eviction process ever would.
Tenants who are illegally locked out can sue for damages — and they’ll win. Courts award actual damages (hotel costs, lost property, storage fees), and many states allow punitive damages on top of that. Some states have statutory penalties of two to three months’ rent for illegal lockouts. You could also face criminal charges.
There is exactly one legal way to remove a tenant who won’t leave: the court process. File the eviction, get the judgment, obtain the writ of possession, and let the sheriff execute it. It’s slower. It’s frustrating. And it’s the only way that doesn’t expose you to massive liability.
4. Not Showing Up to Court
You filed the eviction, you have all your documentation, the case is airtight. Then the court date arrives and you figure, “It’s obvious — the judge will rule in my favor even if I’m not there.”
They won’t. If you don’t show up, the case gets dismissed. Period. And you start over from scratch — new notice, new filing fee, new court date weeks or months away. Meanwhile the tenant lives rent-free.
Show up. Bring your documentation — the lease, the notice, proof of service, payment records, any correspondence. Organize it neatly. Be professional and factual in front of the judge. Your preparation communicates that you’ve followed proper procedure, which is what the court cares about most.
5. Poor Documentation Throughout the Tenancy
The eviction hearing isn’t just about the last 30 days. Judges look at the full picture. A landlord who can produce a complete payment history, copies of all notices, a signed lease, photos of property condition, and records of all communication is far more credible than one who says “they just stopped paying.”
Documentation starts the day the tenant moves in — not the day you decide to evict. Move-in inspection photos, signed lease with all terms, payment records for every month, written maintenance requests and responses, copies of any notices or warnings. All of it matters if you end up in court.
Landlords who use a system to track their rental properties and log payments have a built-in paper trail. If you’re still managing with sticky notes and bank statements, you’re one contested eviction away from wishing you had something better.
The Cost of Getting It Right
A properly executed eviction costs money and time. An improperly executed eviction costs significantly more of both. The landlords who handle evictions efficiently aren’t lucky — they’re prepared. They know their state’s laws, they follow procedure precisely, and they document everything.
If you’re facing your first eviction or want to make sure you’re not making these mistakes, start by learning the rules for your state. The eviction law comparison tool lets you see how your state’s process compares to others and what specific requirements you need to meet.
Eviction is never fun. But it doesn’t have to be a financial disaster.