This episode is for tenants. If you just got an eviction notice, or think one is coming, EvictIQ founder Will Addo explains what to do this week. His company works for property owners, and he says so up front, because in most cases the best outcome for the owner is the same as the best outcome for the tenant: you stay and the rent gets paid.

Five steps:
1. Read the paper today: a landlord's notice is not a court order, and court papers have a short deadline
2. Respond and show up: about one in four metro Atlanta eviction cases ended in default judgment
3. Talk to your landlord early, in writing, with real numbers and dates
4. Gather your proof: lease, rent receipts, bank statements and payment app screenshots
5. Get help this week: legal aid, 211, and court mediation or eviction diversion programs

Also covered: your landlord generally cannot lock you out or shut off utilities without a court order, and how an eviction record can affect your next rental application.

General information, not legal advice. Eviction rules are different in every state. Talk to legal aid or an attorney about your situation.

When should a landlord not file an eviction? In this interview, EvictIQ founder and CEO Will Addo explains how to decide between a rent payment plan and a court date.

In this episode:
- Three questions to ask before filing an eviction for nonpayment of rent
- The four things that make a payment plan enforceable
- Why inconsistent payment plans are a fair housing risk, and how a written policy fixes it
- Payment agreements after an eviction case is already filed
- How the EvictIQ tenant page lets a tenant message the property manager, make a payment or set up a payment arrangement
- When to stop being patient

Set up your process at evictiq.com or call 1-877-919-2910.

General information, not legal advice. Payment agreement and fair housing rules vary by state.

Most evictions that take too long weren't slow. They were restarted. In this interview, EvictIQ founder and CEO Will Addo covers the five eviction mistakes that send landlords and property managers back to the beginning.

In this episode:
1. The eviction notice: wrong amount, wrong form, wrong delivery or wrong waiting period
2. The names: who is filing and who is being sued
3. Accepting a partial rent payment in the middle of a case
4. Service of process you can't prove
5. Showing up to the eviction hearing without the lease, ledger, notice and proof of delivery

Plus the one cause underneath all five: a step that had no owner.

On the EvictIQ platform, the tenant is served within 72 hours of filing, on average. See where your eviction process has gaps at evictiq.com or call 1-877-919-2910.

General information, not legal advice. Notice, payment and court rules vary by state and county.