Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Georgia
I am the landlord. My tenants are coming due on rent for June, but are no longer responding to my calls or texts. After visiting and entering the property while they were away today, I noticed the yard was severely unkept, water and utilities had been turned off by the city, furniture and main TV had been removed already, and no food in the refrigerator. These are obvious signs of abandonment. There are still a significant amount of personal belongings inside the house.
Do I have the legal right to re-key, re-enter and re-let the premises without filling a dispossessory warrant or obtaining a writ of possession from the court if my Rental Agreement, which they signed, explicitly states that I have that right?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Unless you want top potentially spend thousands or tens of thousands paying attorneys fees and damages for a wrongful eviction, no. And get a lawyer and fix your leases. Putting language contrary to Georgia law is an invitation to Legal AId to sue you for all you are worth. Trash the lease you wrote, get a lawyer, and do things by the book.