What must a landlord do to initiate an eviction process?

To initiate the eviction process, a landlord must file a complaint for eviction in the court. This legal action formally begins the eviction proceedings and provides the necessary documentation for the court to review the case. Filing a complaint is a critical step because it places the case within the judicial system, allowing both the landlord and the tenant to present their arguments and evidence regarding the eviction.

While a landlord may communicate verbally with the tenant or through other informal means, such methods do not meet the legal requirements for initiating an eviction. The court needs an official record of the eviction request, which is why filing the complaint is essential. Furthermore, hiring a lawyer to send a notice may be advisable for navigating the legal complexities, but it is not a requirement to initiate the eviction process itself. The key point is that filing the complaint in court is the foundational action that sets the eviction process in motion.