The moratorium on evictions has been lifted, and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame has some advice for renters and property owners.
Although there may be some allowances for renters who live in properties that receive federal funding, ordinary renters and property owners should take note that in North Carolina, property owners who are not receiving rental income may now legally pursue eviction procedures for tenants who are in arrears.
John C. Rose talked about the moratorium on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! program on WIZS at 11:45 a.m. after speaking with Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.
The moratorium was put in place in 2020 when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions created financial hardships because employees were out of work. That moratorium has been extended a few different times.
But Brame wants residents to be aware that the moratorium has been lifted, and he encourages renters who may be out of compliance to do their best to keep up with their rent payments and to communicate with property owners if there’s a problem.
Brame’s office has two officers – one sergeant and one deputy – who specialize in dealing with eviction notices.
Now that the moratorium has been lifted, Brame said property owners once again can begin the process of serving eviction notices for renters who are behind in payments.
Tenants should try to stay current with their rent payments and to take care of the property they are occupying, he said.
In North Carolina, it is the job of the sheriff’s office to serve eviction notices and without moratoriums in place, property owners are going to be playing catch-up from the last year. But nobody likes to be the one knocking on the door with an eviction notice in hand.
Once an eviction process has started, the tenant is really at the mercy of the property owner.
Now is the time to be in front of this and make sure everything is in place. It can take anywhere between 10 days and 90 days to complete the eviction process, and it is the sheriff’s office’s job to make sure people and belongings have been cleared out once the process is complete.
But, no doubt, there are going to be some of those knocks on doors delivering news that no tenant wants to hear.