Meeting The Sheriff For A Lock-Out

When meeting the sheriff for a lock-out, there are a few things you need to keep in mind

1. You must arrange for a locksmith or change the locks yourself.
2. Be 15 minutes early and wait outside for the officer.
3. The officer will knock on the door. If there is no response, he/she will ask you to open the door.
4. Most of the time the tenant moved out over the weekend before or the night before.If the tenant is there when the officer arrives, normally the officer will give them 5 to 15 minutes to get whatever he wants out of the property and then will order him to leave. The officer will then inspect the premises and deliver possession to the person representing the owner.
5. If there are possessions left in the property, they must be stored 15 to 18 days and a notice must be mailed to the tenant stating how and when and how much the tenant must pay to get their belongings.
6. A charge of the daily rental value (on the reverse of the writ) can be charged for each day that the belongings are stored.
7. The tenant(s) must be allowed to claim their possessions during normal working hours during those 15 to 18 days. THE TENANT OR ANYONE NAMED ON THE WRIT MAY NOT RE-ENTER THE PREMISES. Another person may enter and remove with instruction that he may “Only enter to remove possessions, “and that he must be out before 5:00 P.M.
8. If the tenant never contacts you and total value of everything abandoned is LESS than $300.00, then the landlord may dispose of as he deems fit. You may throw it away, sell it (for less than $300.00) or keep it. I strongly suggest that pictures be taken, you may be sued at a later date.
9. If the total value is more than $300.00, the property MUST be: 
   • Inventoried with a letter to the tenant.
   • Advertised in a local (legal) newspaper, and sold at a public auction (by a licensed auctioneer) and the money turned over to the country tax collector.
10. The contents may be IMMEDIATELY removed from the premises and placed in storage.
11. Cars qualify as personal property also.
12. Animals are always a special problem, if you have one, CALL US!