Tenant Moved Out but Adult Child Remains
A tenant may leave and an adult child may stay. That can look like a guest problem, a family occupancy, an unauthorized occupant, or a continuing household — depending on permission, payments, and time. This page does not choose among those labels.
The important question
What permission or occupancy relationship existed among the tenant, the owner, and the remaining occupant?
Facts that may matter
Whether the adult child was listed on the lease; whether the owner knew they lived there; rent or other payment; how long they occupied before the tenant left; communications; keys; mail or address use; and when the tenant moved out.
What not to assume
Being related to a tenant does not automatically create or eliminate occupancy rights. Not being named on the lease does not automatically answer the legal question. The tenant's departure does not automatically make the remaining person a squatter.
What to document
The lease, any addenda, payment records, texts or email with the tenant and the remaining person, and a timeline of who lived there and when the tenant left.
What not to do
Do not change locks, shut off utilities, or remove an adult child's belongings without first understanding the applicable legal process. Do not treat family status as a substitute for that process.
Where to go next
Georgia sources (Georgia-specific; other states vary) · All states · Protect my property
When professional help may be appropriate
When a household member remains after a tenant leaves, a licensed attorney can evaluate permission, the lease, and possession. squatter.info does not determine the occupancy category.
Related: Tenant's Boyfriend or Girlfriend Moved In · Someone else allowed an occupant to stay · A former tenant or guest is still there