If my tenant stops paying rent, and per the lease should have vacated the premises on January 31st, but now its February 6th, what can I do?...

Question

If my tenant stops paying rent, and per the lease should have vacated the premises on January 31st, but now its February 6th, what can I do? Can I change the locks, eg, and require her to get me to let her in & out? Can I have a company come & put her stuff in storage? If I go through the eviction process, won't she have 30-60 days to get out - making me stuck with her and losing money? The utilities and electricity are both in my name, and she hasn't paid either since October! What are my best options?

Answer

You MUST go through the eviction process. You CANNOT lock her out or have someone move her items until the Court allows it. It is illegal to do so. When a tenant has not paid rent, you should move quickly to evict.