What must a landlord do to evict a tenant?
Before contacting the court to initiate eviction proceedings, the landlord should read the lease and be familiar with its provisions and comply with its terms regarding notice and termination. Once the terms of the lease have been followed, Georgia law requires a landlord to go through court to remove a tenant. First, before going to court, the landlord must demand that the tenant immediately give up possession and vacate. This demand is best made in writing. If the tenant refuses or fails to give up possession, the landlord or the landlord’s agent or attorney must go to the magistrate court and file a dispossessory affidavit under oath.