What do I have to do to get my children’s father out of my house?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What do I have to do to get my children’s father out of my house?
I am a homeowner. I live with my 2 children as well as their father. He has lived with me for 5 years and he has never helped with the mortgage or utilities. His name is not on the mortgage loan or on the deed. We are not married. I want him out of my house. What do I need to legally do in order to move him out?
Asked on August 19, 2011 Minnesota
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Since he has not paid rent he is not a tenant. However since he was invited to stay long-term, in most states, he will be considered to be a "licensee". Accordingly in order to have him removed from the premises you must serve legal notice to quit (in such a case it is typically for 30 days). At that point, if he is still there you will need to file an "unlawful detainer" in court (i.e. eviction lawsuit). Once the judge issues an order to vacate, if he still remains you can have the sheriff come an physically remove him if it comes down to that. The whole process generally takes 4-6 weeks or more to complete.
Note: Do not try any "self help" remedies such as removing his personal things and/or changing the locks. If you do you could be sued by him for unlawful eviction.
At this point you should speak with an attorney that handles landlord-tenant cases.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.