Georgia Eviction Question (attorney, tenant, landlord)

[atlcharm]

I'm asking this question for a friend, so excuse me if some of the terms are incorrect.

She has started the process of evicting her tenant. She has already filed and the tenant was given 7 days to respond (I think) but responded five days past that date. Therefore, she (tenant) missed the deadline. So my friend calls the magistrate (whoever it was that handled the beginning process) to ask about the next step in the eviction. She was told that they do not send out letters giving the tenant a date to vacate the premises prior to a filing a writ of possession. My friend would prefer to give the tenant a chance to leave on her own before filing a writ and having to dump her stuff on the street. I suggested my friend send a certified letter, but she says the certified letters take too long and last time the tenant did not respond when sent to the home. She did however respond to a letter sent to her job. So my suggestion was to use a courier service this time around so that she gets it the same day and I told her to have it sent to her job. My friend thinks that the tenant can accuse her of harassment by having it sent to her job. I don't see it that way because she is trying to get the tenant to move on her own vs having her stuff put on the street...in essence giving her notice. The tenant is shady and will not respond if it is sent to her home. Thoughts? Is it wrong to have the courier deliver the letter to her job? Would a standard overnight letter be better or is that still harassment? I hope I'm clear.

[John Williams]

To be perfectly honest, your friend would be better served by talking to an attorney specializing in these manners. It's easy for a misstep or misinterpretation here to get her (the landlord) sued by her tenant.