Eviction Cost Calculator

Removing a tenant carries a price tag that reaches well beyond the courtroom, and this tool puts a realistic number on it before you file. It pulls together the direct legal expenses, the rent you lose while the unit sits empty, and the turnover work that landlords routinely forget to count. Having a clear figure on hand makes the difference between a budgeted decision and a financial surprise.

The estimate is built by adding several moving parts together. You enter the monthly rent, how many months the tenant is behind, whether you hire an attorney or handle the case yourself, and any property damage. The calculator then adds flat allowances: $300 in court filing fees, $3,000 in attorney fees (or $200 in costs if you go it alone) and $3,500 for turnover, the cleaning, minor repairs, and marketing needed to ready the unit for the next renter. Lost rent covers both the months already past due and the time the case takes, 45 days with an attorney or 75 days on your own, charged at your monthly rent. Summed, these pieces produce a total estimated eviction cost.

Treat the output as a planning figure rather than a guarantee. Real-world totals swing widely depending on how contested the case becomes, whether the tenant cooperates, and what your local rules require. Drawn-out timelines are the usual culprit behind a blown budget, since every extra week of vacancy compounds the lost rent. For numbers tied to your specific situation, a qualified attorney remains the right source.