Landlord-tenant attorneys
Cullimore & Coleman
Cullimore & Coleman, PLC is a Phoenix law firm that limits its practice to landlord-side work: evictions, collections, fair housing defense, real estate and contract litigation, and creditor representation in bankruptcy. Clients range from single-family homeowners to large property management companies, and the firm files evictions in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties.
Representation is meant to begin before an eviction does. The office supplies leases, forms, notices, and addendums, gives clients access to attorneys for day-to-day landlord questions, and runs free trainings on new laws, city ordinances, and procedures. Collections are offered at low to no cost, with contingency arrangements in some cases. On an eviction the firm works either to bring the tenant current or to recover possession while pursuing the balance owed through collections.
Proprietary software gives clients and affiliates web access to case filings, real-time case status reports, training materials, articles, and newsletters, and cases, evictions, collections, and letters are started online at the client's direction. The firm says its eviction volume lets it charge less than most firms, and it works in an of-counsel relationship with another Phoenix practice on eviction matters.
The firm states over 15 years of combined Arizona experience representing landlords. Its office is at 1708 E. Thomas Road in Phoenix, open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5:30pm. Fees are not published on the site.
Best for
Arizona landlords and property management companies needing evictions, collections, or fair housing defense in Maricopa, Pima, or Pinal counties; the practice is landlord-side, from single-family owners to large management firms.
What they do
- Residential evictions (forcible and special detainer)
- Rent and damages collections
- Fair Housing Act and ADA claim defense
- Lease, notice, and addendum drafting
- Landlord training on Arizona law and ordinances
- Real estate and contract litigation
- Creditor representation in tenant bankruptcies
What stands out
- States over 15 years of combined experience representing Arizona landlords.
- Files evictions in Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties for owners from single-family homeowners to large management companies.
- Clients and affiliates track filings and case status through the firm's own web system and start cases online.
- Offers free downloadable Arizona pay-or-vacate notices and regular free client trainings.
Common questions
- What notice starts an Arizona eviction for unpaid rent?
- A notice of noncompliance, commonly called a five-day pay-or-quit notice. Under the Arizona Residential Landlord Tenant Act the landlord should either hand deliver it to the tenant or send it by certified mail. The tenant can come back into compliance by paying the balance, including rent, late fees, and any other fees that form part of the rental balance.
- How long does the Arizona eviction process take?
- If the landlord has done everything correctly, the firm says a tenant can normally be out within the month. Once the eviction action is filed there is typically an initial hearing within seven days, and judgment is often granted at that hearing. If the judge wants more evidence, a second hearing is set three to five days later. Five days after judgment the landlord can ask the court to send the constable to complete the lockout.
- Can a tenant be evicted without a written lease?
- Yes. The same notice is served in the same manner, but without a written lease the landlord is entitled only to the agreed rent, or fair market rental value if no rent was agreed. Late fees, notice fees, and other charges that a written lease would have allowed cannot be charged.
- What if a tenant pays rent but breaks the lease in other ways?
- Most noncompliance, such as unauthorized occupants or pets, property damage, neglected landscaping, or unsanitary conditions, requires a ten-day noncompliance notice giving the tenant ten days to cure. Some health and safety issues require only a five-day notice, and criminal activity can support an immediate notice of termination. The landlord can file an eviction action on each notice once the tenant's remedial days have passed.