According to KRPS, evictions in Sedgwick County, Kansas, whose county seat is Wichita, have risen since 2020 and surpassed pre-pandemic counts. In 2023 alone, the numbers reached a five-year high of 5,863 filings.
So, if you've recently become a Wichita landlord (or plan to become one), learning about Kansas eviction laws should be a top priority. Just as vital is knowing about the top strategies to prevent them in the first place.
Join us at PMI Air Capital as we explore the tenant eviction process and how expert rental property management in Wichita can help keep evictions at bay.
Eviction Laws in Wichita, Kansas
In Wichita, landlords and tenants must abide by Kansas Statute Chapter 58, Article 25. It governs both parties' duties, responsibilities, and rights, including those involving evictions.
Evictions for Non-Payment
One of your rights as a Wichita, KS, landlord is to get paid on time without having to demand it (Kansas Statute § 58-25,105). If your tenant fails to pay rent on time, you must comply with the state's eviction notice requirements of serving the renter a 3-day notice to pay or quit (Kansas Statute § 58-2564(b)). If you mail the notice, the tenant has two extra days to pay before you can terminate the lease.
You can file an eviction case if they don't pay and move out within the allowed time.
Evictions for Lease Violations
Another legal ground for eviction is a lease violation. For example, suppose you discovered cigarette burns on your rental's furnishings following a scheduled property inspection. If your lease explicitly prohibits smoking, your tenant has violated the agreement.
In that case, you must give the tenant a 30-day notice to remedy (Kansas Statute § 58-2564(a)). It must indicate the violation and how the renter must fix it within 14 days. Failure to do so will terminate the lease within 30 days of notice receipt, and if the tenant doesn't move out, you can file an eviction lawsuit.
Minimizing Risks of Evictions in Wichita
Comprehensive tenant screening is one of the most effective strategies every veteran, new, or accidental landlord should implement to reduce eviction risks. When you screen renters, you can better gauge their reliability and viability as you can learn about their:
- Credit score and creditworthiness (e.g., if they pay their financial dues on time)
- Employment and income sources
- Criminal background history
- Previous rental behavior (e.g., if their former landlords had no problems with them, whether with paying rent on time or respecting the property)
You can conduct tenant screening yourself, but leaving the task to the pros is best, as many laws surround the process. For example, per the City of Wichita Government, housing providers must abide by federal, state, and local Fair Housing laws. Non-compliance can lead to landlords being the subject of citizen complaints.
Let PMI Air Capital Help You Combat Evictions
Now that you know more about evictions in Wichita, KS, the next step is to do everything possible to avoid dealing with them.
Our full-service property management company, PMI Air Capital, can help. We're marketing, tenant screening, rent collection, and eviction protection experts. We're also proud to be part of Property Management Inc. (PMI), a national brand with over $50 billion of assets under its management.
Reach out today, and we'll happily give you a free rental analysis!
