After 3-day notice to pay or quit...

Can I move forward with having the tenants evicted? My State - Utah - had a handy online form that filled out and printed all the forms for me. Nice! From reading the 3-day Notice to Pay or Vacate, it would appear that I can evict them after the third day. I was under the impression that I had to give them 30 days after the end of the 3-day notice.

I am speaking in general here because every state is a little different and I don’t know UT law. Before I answer, let me advise you to research your ability to waive notice requirements. Some states allow it and it means you don’t have to serve a notice. You can just go to court the day the tenant is late.

A typical eviction goes like this:

  1. Tenant is late.
  2. LL serves notice to pay or quit.
  3. Tenant doesn’t pay by the answer date.
  4. LL files in court.
  5. Judge gives LL an eviction order
  6. Constable/Sheriff serves the tenant and schedules the move out
  7. Tenant is moved to the street

A 30 day notice, technically, a Notice to Quit, tells the tenant he has 30 days to move or you will file for an eviction. It is a no fault termination and your way of taking back the unit. Sometimes judges give tenants a break because this is a no fault situation. I disagree because they stayed passed the notice period and are illegally occupying the unit.

My guess is that you can file for an eviction after the 3 day period has expired. Just make sure it’s calendar days and not 3 business days. States with short answer periods use a business day calculation.