If your property in Atlanta is a mess and you’ve just received a hoarding cleanup notice to be done by a certain date or face legal proceedings, what do you do? Perhaps you have just inherited property, are renting a house or apartment, or own your own home and have just received a hoarding cleanup notice from the city of Atlanta to clean it up. No matter how the property has come to be in this condition, you are faced with a lot of material to clean up in a short amount of time before legal action will be taken. You are not alone in this situation however. Many people put off cleaning up their hoarded property until formally ordered to do so.
Hoarding While Renting an apartment or house in Atlanta
Legally, a landlord cannot evict a tenant for hoarding alone. Hoarding is now legally considered a mental disorder and anyone formally diagnosed by a medical professional cannot be evicted for hoarding under the Fair Housing Act which prevents discrimination when renting out property. However, if a tenant’s hoarding is doing damage to the property, increases the risk of fire, or is affecting the quality of life for other tenants, a landlord can evict someone for the damage hoarding can cause. Such damage can include:
- blocking emergency exits
- storing dangerous or explosive material
- damaging the ventilation system, fire alarms, or sprinkler systems
- damaging the property
- housing animals in a manner against the lease agreement
- storing perishable food in a way that attracts pests or mold
If an Atlanta landlord suspects a tenant is causing damage to the property via hoarding or otherwise, they can notify the tenant they will be inspecting the property on a certain date. If they find damage or potential damage during that inspection, the landlord will typically give a tenant a specified amount of time to remedy the situation before beginning legal proceedings to evict them. If a tenant does not clean up the property in that timeframe, then a landlord is able to give them final notice to move out.
Atlanta city orders hoarder cleanup notices
If a person owns their own home, the city can order a hoarder cleanup notice giving the property owner a certain number of days to rectify the situation or face heavy fines or other legal action including the condemning of their property. At the end of that time, if a person is able to show they have made a concerted effort to clean up their property, the timeline to clean up the property fully may be extended. If no such effort is made, the city is legally able to take official action against the property owner such as declaring the property uninhabitable. The specific proceedings and consequences depends of the rules and regulations of your local city ordinances.
Cleaning up the hoarder property – a solution
No matter who ultimately owns the hoarder property, if you have been served a hoarding cleanup notice, you need to do so in a short amount of time. Aside from digging in and doing it yourself, a real struggle that can take a lot of time if you’re the one who lives there, a much faster and more efficient solution is to hire a property cleanup company to come help you out.
Whether indoors or outdoors, a hoarder cleanup company can be the solution you need. Not only can you get help with a seemingly overwhelming problem, but a hoarder cleanup company can respond immediately whenever you call and provide fast service. Among many other service options, a property cleanup company can:
- remove trash and recycling
- donate unwanted items
- clean out urine, feces, and other hazards
- deep clean the house or apartment
- remove odor
- find lost valuables
A good hoarding cleanup company will always be respectful of you and your property as they help you thoroughly clean things out and put the property to right. When they are done, your property will be cleaned quicker than you ever thought possible and you will be in compliance with your landlord or city’s regulations.
We’re here to answer any questions
If you have any questions about hoarding cleanup services or want to talk about your specific situation, give us a call at 770-766-4562 and we’ll be happy to help.
