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Charleston Property Management | What To Do If A Tenant Leaves A Broke Down Car Behind

North Charleston - James Island

Tenant moveouts are always a surprise. When you work in Charleston property management, you never know what state to expect the home to be in when a family moves out. Most renters are great and will follow the moveout checklist and do all the cleaning and replacing that is requested. However, sometimes, tenants leave behind personal property when they can’t take it with them and don’t have storage. When this property is broken down vehicles, the rules about removing the property is a bit different than if they left behind a couch, however.

When is a Vehicle Considered Abandoned?

When a vehicle remains on public or private for longer than seven days without the permission of the property owner, Charleston property management can start the process of having the vehicle removed. The tenant loses their permission to have the car parked on the property of the rental house as soon as the home is deemed abandoned. If the property is abandoned, the manager must all the police and report the vehicle abandoned. The police will then contact a tow company and handle the rest from there.

Many landlords have provisions in their lease that state vehicles not running, not registered, or not on wheels cannot be stored on rental property. If the lease has this provision, Charleston property management will be able to have the vehicle towed without notifying the police or the tenant, although it is a good idea to give the tenant a lease violation warning first, giving the tenant a chance to relocate the vehicle.

When is a Property Considered Abandoned?

South Carolina law says that rental properties can be considered abandoned when the rent payment is more than 15 days past due and the tenant has not been onsite or reachable. If the rent payment is late, and the utilities have been turned off by the tenant before the end of the lease, the property may be considered abandoned immediately, however.

Contact Scott Properties, Charleston Property Management

If you’re looking for Charleston property management that can deal with any tenant situations, call Scott Properties at 843-790-4929.