Eviction takes place because renters have not paid their rent or they have defaulted on their rental agreement in some other way. For eviction to take place legally, a notice must be posted and the renter must be given a sufficient amount of time to move out and find another place. Often, police officers are involved in the eviction process to make sure it is done legally and safely.

However, wrongful evictions happen all the time. Renters are kicked out of their apartments even though they have paid rent and upheld all of their contractual agreements. Or, they are evicted without any warning or any time to find another apartment, leaving them homeless. When landlords ask tenants to leave and the tenant has not defaulted on the contract, it must be because the landlord is moving in or is taking the unit off the rental market. Either way, the landlord must give the tenant plenty of advanced warning, such as months or even one year.

Make sure that what looks like an eviction isn’t just a threat, warning or advisory. Sometimes, landlords post what looks like an eviction just so they can change renters and not have to go through the legal paperwork of an actual eviction.

You can also sign a petition for wrongful eviction, which notifies your local rent control board that your landlord is making threats. This will alert the board, and it will strengthen your case because you are documenting the landlord’s actions.

If you are wrongfully evicted, you could be injured both financially and physically. You might have to miss work in order to find another place to live, you might have to stay at a shelter for a few days, you could lose furniture or other belongings, and you are definitely at a great disadvantage because of someone else’s illegal actions. Contact an attorney who specializes in wrongful evictions.