Starting next month, Wisconsin landlords will no longer have to hang on to the personal belongings of people evicted from properties they own. A new state law kicks in on March 1, which gives property owners the right to dispose of that property however they see fit, unless a prior agreement was reached with the tenant.
Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Department Captain Rick Olig says the change will make carrying out eviction notices much easier for his deputies, who will only have to worry about removing those living in a unit and not their property.
The change was one of several included in a law passed by the Legislature last year that’s designed to make it easier for landlords to deal with problem tenants. The new law also shortens the notice of eviction in small claims court from eight days to just five. Renters will also have less time to challenge the eviction through a jury trial.
Bob Nelson, KFIZ
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Captain Olig’s rank as Sheriff.