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Setout · Lifecycle

What an eviction setout is

The setout is the day the property comes back. Officer, crew, and locksmith in one window — belongings handled per the writ, the unit secured, and the whole thing documented.

Moving crew loading furniture during an eviction setout
Moving crew loading furniture during an eviction setout
A setout is the scheduled execution of a writ of possession: law enforcement attends, the unit is cleared under that writ, locks are changed, and the owner gets a secured property. It is not a DIY lockout. Self-help eviction is illegal in every state.

Key facts

  • Lifecycle stage: Setout.
  • EvictIQ field operations: Georgia (metro Atlanta). We do not operate field crews in every state.
  • Exact claims only: 10,000+ completed evictions; 72-hour service of tenant after filing on average (Georgia service).
  • Not a law firm. Not legal advice. No date guarantees. No price list on this page.

What this service is

Setouts go wrong in ways that create liability — belongings handled improperly, no documentation, an officer who arrives to no crew. The documentation is as important as the labor.

The officer’s presence is what makes the removal lawful. The crew’s job is to clear and document. The locksmith’s job is to close the unit before anyone leaves. Those three have to share a window.

EvictIQ runs setouts in Georgia (metro Atlanta) as part of end-to-end field work — 10,000+ completed evictions. We do not staff setout crews in every state.

When this step is needed

You need a setout when the writ has been issued and the executing office has given a window. You do not need one — and must not invent one — on a judgment alone.

Skip DIY. Changing locks or removing belongings without the authorized office is illegal self-help in every state.

How the process usually works

  1. Confirm the writ is issued and the executing office has a date or window.
  2. Book officer, crew, and locksmith to the same window.
  3. Document the unit before anyone starts.
  4. Handle belongings only as the writ and county procedure allow.
  5. Secure the unit, turn keys, and keep a written completion report.

Courts and executing offices set their own calendars. These are operational steps, not a guaranteed timeline.

What this step usually covers

  • Crew, officer, and locksmith scheduled to one window
  • Photo and video documentation before, during, and after
  • Belongings handled per the writ and county procedure
  • Unit secured and keys turned over the same day
  • Written completion report for the file

These are the jobs the step exists to do. They are not a nationwide menu EvictIQ staffs in every county.

What you must verify locally

  • Who must be present (sheriff, marshal, constable, off-duty officer)
  • How belongings must be handled and for how long they must be stored, if at all
  • Whether the owner may be on site
  • What “secured” means for that county’s completion standard

We do not publish a stale per-state timetable. Statutes change.

What this does not include

  • Legal advice, courtroom representation, or an attorney-client relationship
  • A guaranteed hearing date, writ date, or setout date — courts and executing offices set their own calendars
  • Self-help lockouts, utility shutoffs, or removal of belongings outside a court-issued writ
  • A published price. Scope and price are written after intake, before work starts
State law controls. Eviction law is state law, and notice periods, forms, courts and timelines differ in every state — sometimes county to county within a state. This page explains how the process generally works. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for your state's actual rules.
Working a real case right now?

Georgia we can handle. Elsewhere we route.

If the property is in Georgia, EvictIQ can take this step end to end. If it isn't, we'll tell you what to look for in a local attorney or service — we do not operate field crews in every state.

Related services

All eviction services — the full catalog, grouped by category on the hub.

Writ of Possession Assistance

A judgment says you won. The writ is the separate order that lets the property come back.

Read →

Off-Duty Officer Coordination

Law-enforcement presence scheduled to the same window as the crew.

Read →

Movers for Eviction Setouts

Crews sized to the unit, arriving with the officer — not a general move booked after.

Read →

Locksmith Coordination

The unit is not recovered until it is secured — same day, same window as the crew.

Read →

Common questions

Can I do the setout myself after I get the writ?

The writ is executed by the authorized office, not by the landlord acting alone. Removing a tenant or their belongings outside that process is illegal self-help. Confirm the local procedure before anyone shows up.

What if the tenant is still there?

That is why the officer is there. Do not confront an occupant yourself. If the window moves, the coordinating provider should have a contingency — not a promise that the date cannot slip.

Does EvictIQ run setouts outside Georgia?

No. EvictIQ field work is Georgia (metro Atlanta). Outside Georgia we educate and take honest intake. We will not sell a fake local crew listing.

Need help with this step?

Tell us where the property is and where the case stands. Georgia we handle; elsewhere we route.

If the property is in Georgia
If it isn't

We'll tell you so rather than take the lead. What to look for locally: a provider who knows which office executes writs in your county, who gives you cycle-time variance rather than an average, and who refuses to guarantee a completion date.

Working a real case?

Georgia we handle end to end. Anywhere else, we'll tell you what to look for in a local provider.