Someone is in your rental property who shouldn't be there. Can you call the police, or do you have to file an eviction? EvictIQ founder and CEO Will Addo explains the difference between a tenant, a holdover tenant and a squatter, and why getting it wrong costs landlords weeks.

In this episode:
- The one rule in every new squatter law: it does not apply to anyone who is or was a tenant
- 28 states now have anti-squatting laws (National Apartment Association), in three designs: affidavit, citation, and fast court track
- How Kansas, Georgia and South Carolina handle squatter removal
- Real cases from Wyoming, San Francisco and Queens, New York, and why the outcomes were so different
- New October 1, 2026 laws in Florida (rental application fraud) and Maryland (counterfeit leases)
- What landlords should document on vacant units, and why self-help lockouts backfire

Not sure which one you have? Go to evictiq.com or call 1-877-919-2910.

General information, not legal advice. Squatter and eviction laws vary by state.

Five-point playbook: 1) Audit notice templates property by property (CARES Act covered or not). 2) Map every city and county you operate in and its local rules. 3) Tighten the file before you file. 4) Build an early-intervention step with documented outreach and payment plans. 5) Measure notice-to-possession timelines by county.

Ready to run evictions like a business? Book a demo at https://evictiq.com or call toll-free 1-877-919-2910.

Sources: BiggerPockets; Nixon Peabody; Stateline; Federal Register; Smith Pauley; NAHRO; Neuhaus Realty (Texas SB 38 / SB 1333); Mission Local; GBH; ACLU of South Carolina; Hoodline; Multifamily Dive; KQED; Democracy Now!

General information, not legal advice. Talk to a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction. Hosts are AI-voiced.Eviction filings are running above pre-pandemic norms, HUD moved to roll back its 30-day nonpayment notice rule (but the CARES Act 30-day notice still applies to covered properties), Texas built a roughly 21-day eviction track, San Francisco wants a one-month minimum arrears threshold, Massachusetts is sealing thousands of eviction records, and a federal judge just froze New York's ban on rent-pricing algorithms. We break down six stories, run a myth-vs-fact lightning round, and finish with a five-point playbook landlords and property managers can use this month.

This episode is for tenants. If you just got an eviction notice, or think one is coming, EvictIQ founder Will Addo explains what to do this week. His company works for property owners, and he says so up front, because in most cases the best outcome for the owner is the same as the best outcome for the tenant: you stay and the rent gets paid.

Five steps:
1. Read the paper today: a landlord's notice is not a court order, and court papers have a short deadline
2. Respond and show up: about one in four metro Atlanta eviction cases ended in default judgment
3. Talk to your landlord early, in writing, with real numbers and dates
4. Gather your proof: lease, rent receipts, bank statements and payment app screenshots
5. Get help this week: legal aid, 211, and court mediation or eviction diversion programs

Also covered: your landlord generally cannot lock you out or shut off utilities without a court order, and how an eviction record can affect your next rental application.

General information, not legal advice. Eviction rules are different in every state. Talk to legal aid or an attorney about your situation.