What are the laws regarding the abandonment of rental property?
In North Dakota, if a tenant abandons rental property, the landlord is legally required to make reasonable efforts to re-rent the unit. If the landlord cannot rent their property, they can terminate the lease and take back possession of the property. The landlord should be aware that they are still responsible for any unpaid rent during the remainder of the lease. If the landlord does rent the abandoned unit, they are still allowed to seek compensation from the tenant. The tenant will owe the landlord any unpaid rent up to the date of the termination, plus the difference between the prior and new rental rate for the remainder of the rental agreement. The landlord may also be able to recover damages if the tenant caused any damage to the property. These damages include repairs, cleaning services, replacement of missing items, or additional rent due to the property being unrentable. If the tenant left behind their personal property, the landlord is also required to make reasonable attempts to contact the tenant or take other steps to return the property. If this fails, the landlord must store the property for a period of no less than 30 days. If the tenant cannot be found and does not claim the property, the landlord can dispose of it in the manner they deem reasonable.
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