Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Georgia

My G/F and I recently split up, she was staying at my home (I'm the only one on the mortgage) while she found a new place to stay. I'd say a month or so of staying here.

I work nights and shes at work when I leave. So I locked my house, she doesn't have a key any longer. But due to some communication via texts I felt I needed to lock my house as I've had a previous situation where someone came into my home and removed all their items including many of mine and left.

She called me upon arriving at my house and asked why I locked the door, I told her I just wanted to be there when she removed all her things to make sure nothing of mine was taken. She had all ready told me she had a place to stay that night, so it wasn't as if she was being locked out without shelter.

Long story short, she called the police and apparently showed them a piece of mail with her name and my address on it. They watched her obtain entrance to my house and left. I'm not sure how she did so, but she was able to.

I'm just now getting home and finding all this out so I haven't had a chance to look through everything. I'm curious if this is legal? What makes someone a legal resident of a private property?

It seems like anyone could then obtain a piece of mail with an address on it and gain entrance.

Thanks for your help,

Luke


Asked on 10/07/11, 5:58 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Glen Ashman Ashman Law Office also dba Glen Ashman Attorney

Be thankful she didn't sue you. You broke the law. Legally, she was a tenant at will. You could evict her, but had to give her 60 days notice. You could be sued for self-help eviction (changing locks etc). Be VERY quiet and don't risk provoking her into suing you, especially if she left your possessions alone.

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Answered on 10/07/11, 6:36 pm


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