The following FAQ page will list different forms of acceptable evidence in order to issue a formal leasing violation for illegal activity onsite as well as the process for issuing the violation.
Alcove's Illegal Activity Policy as Stated in the Lease
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY: No illegal activity of any kind will be permitted on the premise. If any Roommate, guests or other person under the Roommate’s control is found to be engaging in illegal activity, that Roommate will be subject to termination of this Agreement and immediate eviction proceedings. Note: In the State of North Carolina and Georgia, this includes the recreational use of Cannabis, on or near the premise. A single violation of this term shall be good cause for termination of the lease agreement and eviction proceedings. (Page 7).
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Soft Evidence |
Description |
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General complaint |
A formal complaint sent to Alcove directly from a roommate or landlord. This may be submitted in a support ticket or by emailing the support team. |
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Messages |
Screenshots of texts or messages indicating that a roommate or group of roommates are in possession of an unauthorized pet, sent through texts or instant messaging apps. Must show the date and person responsible. |
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Landlord inspection |
Details from a self-inspection report conducted by the landlord, indicating lease violations. |
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Hard Evidence |
Description |
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Alcove inspection report |
Alcove vendor has found irrefutable evidence of illegal activity and has documented it in the report. Either in a bedroom or common area. |
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Photos and videos |
Photos/videos submitted showing irrefutable evidence of illegal activity onsite and the person responsible. |
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Police report or notification |
Formal police report or search warrant linking illegal activity to an individual on the lease. May also be reported to Alcove directly from the police department via email or phone. |
FAQ: Illegal Activity Violation Policy
Q: What should I do if I suspect a roommate is engaging in illegal activity within the property?
- If a tenant witnesses or is fairly certain someone is engaging in illegal activity, they should contact the authorities immediately and ensure that they file a formal police report.
- A tenant should submit a complaint via email or support ticket to Alcove Support, providing details of the situation and the accused tenant as well as the police report if available.
Q: What happens after I submit a complaint?
- Alcove will respond promptly, categorizing the complaint as falling under the 'soft evidence' category. Alcove will then request that any other evidence be submitted for review and may follow up with the tenant in order to collect further details.
Q: What does Alcove require as evidence?
- Alcove will request additional hard evidence.
- Hard Evidence: Photos or videos of the tenant engaging in illegal activity or a formal police report.
- Soft Evidence: Pictures of paraphernalia related to the illegal activity.
- Basic Evidence: Screenshots of text conversations or a report of the illegal activity.
- The roommate should aim to provide a picture or a police report filed, with the name of the lease violator and the illegal activity.
Q: What happens if only soft evidence can be provided?
- Alcove will conduct an investigation to gather further, hard evidence. This may include contacting other roommates for additional information and reaching out to the landlord. Depending on the severity and specifics of the case, we may also schedule an inspection on behalf of the landlord to conduct a walkthrough of the property to collect more evidence.
Q: What happens if only soft evidence is collected?
- Based on the evidence collected, Alcove will present this to the Landlord who may opt to issue a leasing violation and Notice to Quit. This notice will serve as a final warning to the tenant and will notify them that further reports or evidence of such activity, may result in the Landlord filing for an eviction. Alcove will make the final determination on next steps based on the evidence.
Q: What happens once hard evidence is provided?
- Alcove will present all evidence to the Landlord and advise them on the next steps. Based on the evidence presented, the Landlord may opt to issue a formal Notice to Vacate. This notice will give the tenant 10 days to vacate the property before the Landlord files for an eviction.
Q: What if the lease violator refuses to vacate after receiving the notice?
- Alcove will conduct an inspection to determine if the tenant has vacated. If it is found that the tenant is still present, Alcove will notify the Landlord and recommend that they file for a formal eviction through the courts.
- Alcove will offer it's full cooperation during the eviction process and will provide all evidence collected, including items submitted by tenants, collected during inspections, and any communications sent to and received from tenants.
Q: What happens after the tenant vacates the property?
- Once the tenant has vacated, an Alcove vendor will complete a move-out inspection and cleaning for the room.
- If any extra cleanings or repair required following the tenants move out, they will be held financially responsible.
- Access codes will be updated to ensure security for the property.