When to loop in your attorney.

A quick, friendly PSA for landlords: don’t wait until things blow up to loop in an attorney. In fact, the best time to ping one is before you think an eviction might be necessary. Here’s a simple gut-check I use with clients:

Reach out early if:

• Rent is late and your grace period just passed (even if the tenant says money’s coming “Friday”).

• Payment plans are being requested or already missed.

• Lease breaches show up (unauthorized occupants, pets, chronic noise, smoking, short-term rentals).

• Property/health & safety issues appear (tampering with utilities, illegal activity, damage beyond wear/tear).

• Communication shuts down (won’t text back, won’t open the door, mailbox full).

• You’re considering a notice (nonpayment, cure-or-quit, or termination of month-to-month).

  
  

Why so early? First and foremost - because a letter or e-mail from an attorney usually corrects the behavior. Attorney communication shows you’re serious and attorneys can sometimes play “good cop” and offer the tenant a way out of their mess without damage to their record.

But also because some simple communication can:

• Confirm which notice is right (Missouri uses different paths for rent & possession vs unlawful detainer).

• Set a clean paper trail (what to document, what not to put in texts).

• Map a timeline so if filing becomes necessary, you’re ready—no scrambling, no do-overs.

  
  

What to start collecting now (even if we never file):

• The lease + renewals/addenda

• Ledger (charges, payments, credits, late fees)

• Copies of notices (and how you served them)

• Photos/video and any emails/texts

• Vendor invoices or repair notes (if habitability might be alleged)

  
  

Common delays we can avoid:

• Wrong notice type or defective service

• Sloppy ledgers (missing late-fee terms or math errors)

• Promises/agreements in text that undercut your case

• Accepting partial payments in a way that resets timelines

  
  

Bottom line: reach out early, file only if needed. Most situations either resolve with a clean notice and clear expectations—or they line up for a smooth filing if/when that’s the smart move.

— Landlord Legal STL