The American Psychiatric Association recognizes hoarding as a mental disorder. This is why hoarder tenants are protected under the Fair Housing Act. Hoarder tenants can’t be denied tenancy or evicted because of hoarding since it’s considered discrimination. If you have a hoarder on your hands, you’ll have to make accommodations for them to live comfortably before you can evict your tenant.
It’s also important that you can tell the difference between hoarding and filth. Some tenants are just really messy. To tell whether your tenant is a slob or hoarder, you’ll have to look at how bad the conditions are. Hoarding usually goes beyond clutter and affects the safety of a home.
When a tenant’s stuff blocks exits and entryways, interferes with ventilation and fire alarms, attracts pests, and/or creates hazards for others, they may be suffering from a hoarding disorder. Otherwise, the tenant isn’t taking care of your Pickens property, so you may want to ask them to clean.
What to Do with Hoarder Tenants in Pickens
When you have a hoarder as a tenant, you follow these steps before considering eviction:
Document everything about the Pickens property
Offer to help your hoarder tenant
Consult a lawyer
If you’ve tried everything to no avail, you can evict the tenant. You’ll need a reason to evict them so you don’t break the law. Always keep the Fair Housing Act and your state laws in mind. Consider these common violations:
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- Blocking emergency exits and entryways
- Collecting items that be flammable, explosive, or otherwise dangerous in any way
- Direct damage to your Pickens property
- Interfering with alarm systems, sprinkler systems, ventilation, and/or other utilities
- Keeping pets in a way that breaks the lease or breaks the law
- Storing perishable goods incorrectly or keeping them past their expiration dates, letting them attract mold and pests
Once you’ve found that your hoarder tenant is violating the terms of their lease, you may proceed with the eviction process, which begins by giving them written notice. If the tenant doesn’t move, you can sue to evict them.
How to Clean Hoarder Property in Pickens
Hire a cleaning company or get help from others while dealing with your tenant. Heavy lifting on your own is dangerous, and having help gets the job done faster. Develop a cleaning plan for what supplies and equipment you’ll need, along with an estimate of how long it’ll take.
Once the Pickens property is decluttered, it can be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Depending on the extent of the tenant’s hoarding, it may take some time, but it’ll be worth it in the end. This is also the time to check for any repairs, like cracked drywall or warped floors. Ask your tenant honestly if they’ve spotted any issues with the property you may have missed as well.
Sometimes, though, it’s difficult to keep a property that’s beyond cleaning or repair. In case your Pickens property can’t be saved, it might be a better idea to sell the house fast. Google “How do I sell my house fast in Pickens, South Carolina?”, and you’ll find cash buyers who are willing to buy the property even with the hoarded items from your tenant.
Hoarding is a serious mental illness. If you find out your tenant hoards, be patient with them but be careful to take care of your rental property and other tenants. It may be best to find legal ways to end the tenancy if the reasonable accommodations you’ve made don’t work out.
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