PrairieSong Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I wrote about this previously here: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328628 Our tenant contested the eviction, so yesterday we went before the judge who gave us immediate possession, even though she cried, said she was pregnant with no one to help her move, etc. (First I had heard of the alleged pregnancy, but whatever) She also LIED to the judge under oath, telling him her version of what happened, but it didn't change anything. As we were leaving the courtroom, both she and her boyfriend (who wasn't on the lease and moved in after she did) tried to persuade me to give them a few more days. I just looked at her and said, "You didn't pay." How would she feel if her employer didn't pay her??? She owes us a big chunk of October's rent, and paid NOTHING in November or December. Today we met the court officers at the property to change the locks. No one was there. They left some trash and miscellaneous personal property, but the WORST PART IS that the carpet is full of dog urine and in some rooms DOG PILES that are dry. One bedroom seems to have been a puppy room, from the stains and piles. She did have permission to have a black lab, which she paid a nonrefundable pet deposit for. She works at a dog boarding place and trains dogs on the side. No wonder she had a fly problem!!! (which she only told me about after the notice to vacate was put on her door) The carpet is full of all kinds of other stains...like red Koolaid or something. They CUT the carpet in the living room in one section...who knows why, and left a nice hole in the wall in the kitchen. Their dog scratched near the baseboard and gouged the dry wall in a couple big spots. They were only there three months, but the wear and tear is beyond what I'd expect of a family with small kids living there for YEARS. And we have seven kids and know about wear and tear! The boyfriend was a Bob Marley fan judging from posters left, and painted one wall of the basement bedroom BLACK, and wrote a Bob Marley quote in 3D glow-in-the-dark glue on it. He also left one of his bongs in a kitchen cupboard. At least I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I am SO ANGRY. Before the trial, our lawyer met with them in another room to try to settle. They asked if they could stay till the end of the month, but the had no money for us. Of course they didn't!!! But they wanted to stay a few more weeks for FREE. What is it with people like this??? They have no respect for anyone else or their property. They are just trying to get a free ride as long as they can. :angry: She asked the judge, to clarify, "They are not asking for back rent? They just want us to leave?" The judge told her yes. That's right; that's all that trial was about, but it doesn't mean we're not going to go through small claims court. CAN I SCREAM NOW??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 BTDT. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 So Sorry! That is very tough!:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butterflymommy Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 :grouphug: We are landlords too. Don't let the next people have pets. No pets. period. Not even a fish tank. Most of the damage you describe is pet related. Think of how nice the place will look with fresh carpets! And paint is easy enough to cover up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 That is horrible. Can you sue her for the cost of the repairs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I'm so sorry. This brings up bad memories of the tenants we had right down to the puppy room. Some people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 :grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Ugh, I can't even imagine! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashfern Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 :grouphug: BTDT and it stinks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I'm so, so sorry. I know how you feel as we've gone through that a few times. Currently we are selling our rental property after replacing carpet, cabinets, drywall, doors, decking, tubs, etc. It's a horrible thing to go through. Dealing with lack of payment is enough without having to deal with the destruction. :grouphug::grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 That is horrible. Can you sue her for the cost of the repairs? Yes, we can add in the cost of repairs when we sue her through small claims court. It's tough. You can legally have their wages garnished, but if they change jobs then it's hard to get it. I'm not sure what you do then. I am just so upset. They kept giving us the runaround and my husband kept hoping she'd come through with some $$$, knowing we may not see ANYTHING after we evicted her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eloquacious Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I wrote about this previously here: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328628 Our tenant contested the eviction, so yesterday we went before the judge who gave us immediate possession, even though she cried, said she was pregnant with no one to help her move, etc. (First I had heard of the alleged pregnancy, but whatever) She also LIED to the judge under oath, telling him her version of what happened, but it didn't change anything. As we were leaving the courtroom, both she and her boyfriend (who wasn't on the lease and moved in after she did) tried to persuade me to give them a few more days. I just looked at her and said, "You didn't pay." How would she feel if her employer didn't pay her??? She owes us a big chunk of October's rent, and paid NOTHING in November or December. Today we met the court officers at the property to change the locks. No one was there. They left some trash and miscellaneous personal property, but the WORST PART IS that the carpet is full of dog urine and in some rooms DOG PILES that are dry. One bedroom seems to have been a puppy room, from the stains and piles. She did have permission to have a black lab, which she paid a nonrefundable pet deposit for. She works at a dog boarding place and trains dogs on the side. No wonder she had a fly problem!!! (which she only told me about after the notice to vacate was put on her door) The carpet is full of all kinds of other stains...like red Koolaid or something. They CUT the carpet in the living room in one section...who knows why, and left a nice hole in the wall in the kitchen. Their dog scratched near the baseboard and gouged the dry wall in a couple big spots. They were only there three months, but the wear and tear is beyond what I'd expect of a family with small kids living there for YEARS. And we have seven kids and know about wear and tear! The boyfriend was a Bob Marley fan judging from posters left, and painted one wall of the basement bedroom BLACK, and wrote a Bob Marley quote in 3D glow-in-the-dark glue on it. He also left one of his bongs in a kitchen cupboard. At least I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I am SO ANGRY. Before the trial, our lawyer met with them in another room to try to settle. They asked if they could stay till the end of the month, but the had no money for us. Of course they didn't!!! But they wanted to stay a few more weeks for FREE. What is it with people like this??? They have no respect for anyone else or their property. They are just trying to get a free ride as long as they can. :angry: She asked the judge, to clarify, "They are not asking for back rent? They just want us to leave?" The judge told her yes. That's right; that's all that trial was about, but it doesn't mean we're not going to go through small claims court. CAN I SCREAM NOW??? I can understand completely how you feel. The same thing happened to our rental, and I can't even begin to describe the filth. We're pretty sure there was a meth lab, and worse yet, there were baby items EVERYWHERE, so little children were living there! Sigh. 15 K later.... :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suppleasthewind Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I would be furious if I had to go through that. Being a landlord is pretty frustrating sometimes.I have some stories, but yours tops mine! Dh and I used to be pretty laid back about who we rented to. Now there are applications, background checks, references. We don't let rent slide for longer than two weeks. We have never had to do an eviction, luckily. Are you going to get back in the saddle and rent again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Do you have a landlord protector package on your insurance? Some of them cover vandalism, and that is clearly what this is. You might have substantial recourse to your repair bills through your insurance company, and then they can go after the couple for their refunds. Some policies also pay you for loss of rent during the repair period. I know it's tempting to just go in and start working, but take lots of dated pictures and notes first, and call your insurance company so they can see the damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Yes, we can add in the cost of repairs when we sue her through small claims court. It's tough. You can legally have their wages garnished, but if they change jobs then it's hard to get it. I'm not sure what you do then. I am just so upset. They kept giving us the runaround and my husband kept hoping she'd come through with some $$$, knowing we may not see ANYTHING after we evicted her. I'm so sorry you're going through all this! If you get a wage garnishment, you can hire (fee involved) what's called a skip-trace company to find out where they're paid, then garnish that employer. Take pictures of EVERYTHING you wrote above, it'll help you in court! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 :grouphug: oh man...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Take them back to court for damages. My friend who lives off his rentals does that from time to time and has never lost in court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 Take them back to court for damages. My friend who lives off his rentals does that from time to time and has never lost in court. Oh, you can be sure they haven't heard the last from us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 I would be furious if I had to go through that. Being a landlord is pretty frustrating sometimes.I have some stories, but yours tops mine! Dh and I used to be pretty laid back about who we rented to. Now there are applications, background checks, references. We don't let rent slide for longer than two weeks. We have never had to do an eviction, luckily. Are you going to get back in the saddle and rent again? Oh yes. We'll fix it up and re-rent. BUT this time we will be doing more thorough checks (like a nationwide credit check) as well as the background check we did before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I'm so sorry. You must be so angry and frustrated. I don't know how people can be so awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moxie Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I wouldn't count on every seeing any money from them. 1) I doubt she works and 2) people like this will quit their job when their wages get garnished. Sorry about your trouble! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 I can't imagine how upsetting this must be to see so much damage in so little time. But as Joanne said in the original thread, all of this is the result of someone who doesn't view the world the way you do. In her mind rentals "belong" to her and she can do what she likes. Some of the damage may have been done after you began pushing the buttons because you "deserved" it. I encounter this type of thing on an ongoing basis in my business relationships. Some of the nicest people I've dealt with will turn around and give you the shaft. Real world, I'm afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 I'm so sorry you're going through all this! If you get a wage garnishment, you can hire (fee involved) what's called a skip-trace company to find out where they're paid, then garnish that employer. Take pictures of EVERYTHING you wrote above, it'll help you in court! Tigger, Yes, I had already planned to take photos and document. Thanks for the info about the skip-trace company. I had never heard of that before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 I wouldn't count on every seeing any money from them. 1) I doubt she works and 2) people like this will quit their job when their wages get garnished. Sorry about your trouble! Melissa, She does work, at a dog boarding place. We had to call her at work because her pay-as-you-go phone ran out of minutes. I know what you mean about quitting their job once you garnish wages, but I'm going to look into the skip-trace company recommended by someone else on this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Yes, we can add in the cost of repairs when we sue her through small claims court. It's tough. You can legally have their wages garnished, but if they change jobs then it's hard to get it. I'm not sure what you do then. I am just so upset. They kept giving us the runaround and my husband kept hoping she'd come through with some $$$, knowing we may not see ANYTHING after we evicted her. When we had tenants like this, we would ask the judge to put in a judgment against the tenant for the loss of rent. Could not do the cost of repair, new paint, drywall, carpet, etc as that is what the rent deposit is for. :glare: The eviction/judgement/lien follows them on their credit report and shows up as coming from the place they rented from. It will hurt them with renting in the future or possible employment (being a bad risk) but $$$ you do not get it back. If they have no money, why pursue them in small claims court? Do the judgement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 9, 2011 Author Share Posted December 9, 2011 I can understand completely how you feel. The same thing happened to our rental, and I can't even begin to describe the filth. We're pretty sure there was a meth lab, and worse yet, there were baby items EVERYWHERE, so little children were living there! Sigh. 15 K later.... :( Oh my gosh, that story tops mine. A meth lab??? And little children? So so horrible for you AND those little kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex-mex Posted December 9, 2011 Share Posted December 9, 2011 Tigger, Yes, I had already planned to take photos and document. Thanks for the info about the skip-trace company. I had never heard of that before. Be careful with the skip-trace company. We used one with a tenant who vanished and never showed up to eviction hearing. We did a judgement along with the eviction and used the skip-trace company to track her down for a lot of money. After a year, she was never found and we paid a huge $$$ of money to that company. Major pain. Good thing about all of it was the cost of repairs, skip-trace fees, eviction fees, etc were all deductible for end of the year taxes. But not worth the hassle or stress -- we never did see or hear from that tenant again. And we did a complete credit/criminal background check on her before renting. It happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 When we had tenants like this, we would ask the judge to put in a judgment against the tenant for the loss of rent. Could not do the cost of repair, new paint, drywall, carpet, etc as that is what the rent deposit is for. :glare: The eviction/judgement/lien follows them on their credit report and shows up as coming from the place they rented from. It will hurt them with renting in the future or possible employment (being a bad risk) but $$$ you do not get it back. If they have no money, why pursue them in small claims court? Do the judgement. They don't have much money but as far as I know she still does have a job. The first hearing is already over...the eviction hearing. My friend who has had a successful eviction business for over twenty years walked me through everything. The eviction hearing is for possession of the property only. I don't understand what the difference is between getting a judgment and going to small claims court. Isn't that a judgment, too? And from what I understand, even if you get the judgment against them, the court does nothing to force them to pay. You have to garnish their wages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 That is horrible. Can you sue her for the cost of the repairs? You can sue, but you can't get money where none exists. Horrible, but sadly that is how many people who are evicted leave a place. I think most people try to work to get the people out without court because they know that the people will totally destroy a place on their way out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 They don't have much money but as far as I know she still does have a job. The first hearing is already over...the eviction hearing. My friend who has had a successful eviction business for over twenty years walked me through everything. The eviction hearing is for possession of the property only. I don't understand what the difference is between getting a judgment and going to small claims court. Isn't that a judgment, too? And from what I understand, even if you get the judgment against them, the court does nothing to force them to pay. You have to garnish their wages. Yep, at least in our state a judgement doesn't really do anything for the landlord. It is just another bill that they don't or won't pay. Once you have a judement you can put a lien against any property they own, but it doesn't sound like they own any. I hate to say it, but you will probably never seen any money from these people. But I hope you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Photos, photos, photos! Take photos of entire rooms and close-ups of specific damage. I'd also be tempted to keep a few large pieces of the stinky carpet for small claims show and tell. :tongue_smilie: As a real estate agent I show some pretty awful foreclosures. They often make me sad. But the worst ones to show are the homes with tenants in them. Ugh. Those folks don't want the owner to sell (sometimes) so they make it HARD to show the house. One recently had food from the night before on the stove. Yum. A rottweiler and a half a dozen yapping chihauhaus. The smell was pretty memorable. Blech. Good luck with your pusuit of damages, the re-do, and re-rent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LG Gone Wild Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I am so sorry. :glare: :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Please, check your fire insurance policy! You are worrying too soon. This might all be covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanaryMelody Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I hate people like that. Gives good tenants like my husband and myself a hard time renting homes. We always leave a place the same if not often better than when we move in. . It took us 2 YEARS to find our current rental home because we have 4 children, 2 dogs, and landlords around here have been burned once too often. :glare: Sorry you have to go through this. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I wrote about this previously here: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328628 Our tenant contested the eviction, so yesterday we went before the judge who gave us immediate possession, even though she cried, said she was pregnant with no one to help her move, etc. (First I had heard of the alleged pregnancy, but whatever) She also LIED to the judge under oath, telling him her version of what happened, but it didn't change anything. As we were leaving the courtroom, both she and her boyfriend (who wasn't on the lease and moved in after she did) tried to persuade me to give them a few more days. I just looked at her and said, "You didn't pay." How would she feel if her employer didn't pay her??? She owes us a big chunk of October's rent, and paid NOTHING in November or December. Today we met the court officers at the property to change the locks. No one was there. They left some trash and miscellaneous personal property, but the WORST PART IS that the carpet is full of dog urine and in some rooms DOG PILES that are dry. One bedroom seems to have been a puppy room, from the stains and piles. She did have permission to have a black lab, which she paid a nonrefundable pet deposit for. She works at a dog boarding place and trains dogs on the side. No wonder she had a fly problem!!! (which she only told me about after the notice to vacate was put on her door) The carpet is full of all kinds of other stains...like red Koolaid or something. They CUT the carpet in the living room in one section...who knows why, and left a nice hole in the wall in the kitchen. Their dog scratched near the baseboard and gouged the dry wall in a couple big spots. They were only there three months, but the wear and tear is beyond what I'd expect of a family with small kids living there for YEARS. And we have seven kids and know about wear and tear! The boyfriend was a Bob Marley fan judging from posters left, and painted one wall of the basement bedroom BLACK, and wrote a Bob Marley quote in 3D glow-in-the-dark glue on it. He also left one of his bongs in a kitchen cupboard. At least I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I am SO ANGRY. Before the trial, our lawyer met with them in another room to try to settle. They asked if they could stay till the end of the month, but the had no money for us. Of course they didn't!!! But they wanted to stay a few more weeks for FREE. What is it with people like this??? They have no respect for anyone else or their property. They are just trying to get a free ride as long as they can. :angry: She asked the judge, to clarify, "They are not asking for back rent? They just want us to leave?" The judge told her yes. That's right; that's all that trial was about, but it doesn't mean we're not going to go through small claims court. CAN I SCREAM NOW??? You could call the police and tell them you think you found drug paraphernalia in the house. It is illegal many places. Take video for small claims court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigitte Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I feel your pain. Fortunately ours moved out before they couldn't pay. They had that much sense. There is not one bit of carpet that can be salvaged in the house, all the walls need painting, the new kitchen floor might have to come out, it cost me $500 in labor and dump fees to clear out all they left behind and to tear out the carpet, and I am spending hundreds of dollars to get rid of the roaches and fleas they left behind. Oh, and all the appliances have to go. When all is said and done, it will cost me $3500 at least to recover from these tenants. We are selling the house once it is back in shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 Yep, at least in our state a judgement doesn't really do anything for the landlord. It is just another bill that they don't or won't pay. Once you have a judement you can put a lien against any property they own, but it doesn't sound like they own any. I hate to say it, but you will probably never seen any money from these people. But I hope you do. Well, she does own a decent car, a small SUV...hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalicoKat Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I wrote about this previously here: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328628 Our tenant contested the eviction, so yesterday we went before the judge who gave us immediate possession, even though she cried, said she was pregnant with no one to help her move, etc. (First I had heard of the alleged pregnancy, but whatever) She also LIED to the judge under oath, telling him her version of what happened, but it didn't change anything. As we were leaving the courtroom, both she and her boyfriend (who wasn't on the lease and moved in after she did) tried to persuade me to give them a few more days. I just looked at her and said, "You didn't pay." How would she feel if her employer didn't pay her??? She owes us a big chunk of October's rent, and paid NOTHING in November or December. Today we met the court officers at the property to change the locks. No one was there. They left some trash and miscellaneous personal property, but the WORST PART IS that the carpet is full of dog urine and in some rooms DOG PILES that are dry. One bedroom seems to have been a puppy room, from the stains and piles. She did have permission to have a black lab, which she paid a nonrefundable pet deposit for. She works at a dog boarding place and trains dogs on the side. No wonder she had a fly problem!!! (which she only told me about after the notice to vacate was put on her door) The carpet is full of all kinds of other stains...like red Koolaid or something. They CUT the carpet in the living room in one section...who knows why, and left a nice hole in the wall in the kitchen. Their dog scratched near the baseboard and gouged the dry wall in a couple big spots. They were only there three months, but the wear and tear is beyond what I'd expect of a family with small kids living there for YEARS. And we have seven kids and know about wear and tear! The boyfriend was a Bob Marley fan judging from posters left, and painted one wall of the basement bedroom BLACK, and wrote a Bob Marley quote in 3D glow-in-the-dark glue on it. He also left one of his bongs in a kitchen cupboard. At least I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I am SO ANGRY. Before the trial, our lawyer met with them in another room to try to settle. They asked if they could stay till the end of the month, but the had no money for us. Of course they didn't!!! But they wanted to stay a few more weeks for FREE. What is it with people like this??? They have no respect for anyone else or their property. They are just trying to get a free ride as long as they can. :angry: She asked the judge, to clarify, "They are not asking for back rent? They just want us to leave?" The judge told her yes. That's right; that's all that trial was about, but it doesn't mean we're not going to go through small claims court. CAN I SCREAM NOW??? :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: Breathe. My Aunt did this to the house we're living in. The paint here was, still is in the bathroom, florescent orange & green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristyB in TN Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm so sorry! That's awful! We have quite a bit of rental property and I am a property manager for others so I have some stories! Evictions are miserable and I don't think anyone ever comes away feeling good about them. Judging the circumstances from here, I think you actually escaped with less loss than you could have from these people. We have had them leave the water running and the sink stopped up leaving an enormous amount of water damage, holes in EVERY wall, NO carpet, all of the light fixtures and kitchen cabinets gone, all of the kitchen appliances gone, did I tell you I had stories? One of my rentals I own recently had a couple who moved out during the eviction process and left their giant dogs in the house, only to show up occasionally to feed them. When we finally got the eviction finalized, we went in the house to find a dead dog in the refrigerator (no power to the fridge, the smell was horendous) no carpet left because it had been shredded by the dogs, kitchen cabinets and sub flooring was destroyed, floorboards destroyed, we even had to replace all of the ductwork because of the urine! There were rats and fleas. I could go on and on and on... The neighbors were so glad these people were gone! The way some people leave their animals is the most distressing to us, we actually ended up with a chihuahua once because someone left her to die after they moved out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I totally feel your pain. Sorry about the huge mess and damage. We evicted a family once and in retaliation they stuck used sanitary napkins all over the walls, and hung used tampons from the doorknobs. We just stood there wondering HOW they had so many- were the mom and both girls on their periods at the same time? Had they been saving them? It was even more gross than the time we were found that a tenant had been raising chickens in the basement. Free range. No cages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarlaS Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Well, she does own a decent car, a small SUV...hmmm. Repo man probably hasn't caught up with her yet. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 They don't have much money but as far as I know she still does have a job. The first hearing is already over...the eviction hearing. My friend who has had a successful eviction business for over twenty years walked me through everything. The eviction hearing is for possession of the property only. I don't understand what the difference is between getting a judgment and going to small claims court. Isn't that a judgment, too? And from what I understand, even if you get the judgment against them, the court does nothing to force them to pay. You have to garnish their wages. In our state, with a judgement you can take it to a bill collector and have them do the dirty work. They're pretty aggressive- and the two times we used them, they added their fees so we actually recouped our full judgement amount. Took some time, but we didn't have to do any of the work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMary2 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I totally feel your pain. Sorry about the huge mess and damage. We evicted a family once and in retaliation they stuck used sanitary napkins all over the walls, and hung used tampons from the doorknobs. We just stood there wondering HOW they had so many- were the mom and both girls on their periods at the same time? Had they been saving them? It was even more gross than the time we were found that a tenant had been raising chickens in the basement. Free range. No cages. That is disgusting. When I hear things like this, my faith in humanity decreases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renee in NC Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I am so sorry. I hate stories like this because we are good renters and the bad ones make it hard to get a rental. We have 6dc at home and several pets. We have bad credit from 2008. At this point, our income is too low for property management companies and too low for more than a 3 bedroom. It's pretty hard for us to find a rental. We will repair anything that is broken. The carpets were HORRIBLE when we moved in, but are much better now and will be when we move out. We will touch up the paint (landlord has some.) Dh has done landscaping, so the yard looks better than when we moved in. We clean the gutters, do small repairs on our own, and try to take care of the house as if it were our own. Oh yeah - we also pay our rent on time. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 I am so sorry. I hate stories like this because we are good renters and the bad ones make it hard to get a rental. We have 6dc at home and several pets. We have bad credit from 2008. At this point, our income is too low for property management companies and too low for more than a 3 bedroom. It's pretty hard for us to find a rental. We will repair anything that is broken. The carpets were HORRIBLE when we moved in, but are much better now and will be when we move out. We will touch up the paint (landlord has some.) Dh has done landscaping, so the yard looks better than when we moved in. We clean the gutters, do small repairs on our own, and try to take care of the house as if it were our own. Oh yeah - we also pay our rent on time. :grouphug: Renee, you can come be my tenant!! I do feel bad for the good people who want to rent, and may have a hard time because landlords are jaded by the creeps who destroy their property, don't pay, disappear, etc. We have had (and do currently have) some very good renters, so I know they're out there. I'm just going to be extra cautious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrairieSong Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 I'm so sorry! That's awful! We have quite a bit of rental property and I am a property manager for others so I have some stories! Evictions are miserable and I don't think anyone ever comes away feeling good about them. Judging the circumstances from here, I think you actually escaped with less loss than you could have from these people. We have had them leave the water running and the sink stopped up leaving an enormous amount of water damage, holes in EVERY wall, NO carpet, all of the light fixtures and kitchen cabinets gone, all of the kitchen appliances gone, did I tell you I had stories? One of my rentals I own recently had a couple who moved out during the eviction process and left their giant dogs in the house, only to show up occasionally to feed them. When we finally got the eviction finalized, we went in the house to find a dead dog in the refrigerator (no power to the fridge, the smell was horendous) no carpet left because it had been shredded by the dogs, kitchen cabinets and sub flooring was destroyed, floorboards destroyed, we even had to replace all of the ductwork because of the urine! There were rats and fleas. I could go on and on and on... The neighbors were so glad these people were gone! The way some people leave their animals is the most distressing to us, we actually ended up with a chihuahua once because someone left her to die after they moved out! Oh my gosh, Charity!! No wonder you're mad! Is that mad as in angry or mad as in crazy? I actually feel like both right now. Your stories do top mine, but definitely don't make me feel any better because someone else has been in a worse situation. How horrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I think you should scream..."THANK GOD they're GONE!!!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I wrote about this previously here: http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=328628 Our tenant contested the eviction, so yesterday we went before the judge who gave us immediate possession, even though she cried, said she was pregnant with no one to help her move, etc. (First I had heard of the alleged pregnancy, but whatever) She also LIED to the judge under oath, telling him her version of what happened, but it didn't change anything. As we were leaving the courtroom, both she and her boyfriend (who wasn't on the lease and moved in after she did) tried to persuade me to give them a few more days. I just looked at her and said, "You didn't pay." How would she feel if her employer didn't pay her??? She owes us a big chunk of October's rent, and paid NOTHING in November or December. Today we met the court officers at the property to change the locks. No one was there. They left some trash and miscellaneous personal property, but the WORST PART IS that the carpet is full of dog urine and in some rooms DOG PILES that are dry. One bedroom seems to have been a puppy room, from the stains and piles. She did have permission to have a black lab, which she paid a nonrefundable pet deposit for. She works at a dog boarding place and trains dogs on the side. No wonder she had a fly problem!!! (which she only told me about after the notice to vacate was put on her door) The carpet is full of all kinds of other stains...like red Koolaid or something. They CUT the carpet in the living room in one section...who knows why, and left a nice hole in the wall in the kitchen. Their dog scratched near the baseboard and gouged the dry wall in a couple big spots. They were only there three months, but the wear and tear is beyond what I'd expect of a family with small kids living there for YEARS. And we have seven kids and know about wear and tear! The boyfriend was a Bob Marley fan judging from posters left, and painted one wall of the basement bedroom BLACK, and wrote a Bob Marley quote in 3D glow-in-the-dark glue on it. He also left one of his bongs in a kitchen cupboard. At least I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I am SO ANGRY. Before the trial, our lawyer met with them in another room to try to settle. They asked if they could stay till the end of the month, but the had no money for us. Of course they didn't!!! But they wanted to stay a few more weeks for FREE. What is it with people like this??? They have no respect for anyone else or their property. They are just trying to get a free ride as long as they can. :angry: She asked the judge, to clarify, "They are not asking for back rent? They just want us to leave?" The judge told her yes. That's right; that's all that trial was about, but it doesn't mean we're not going to go through small claims court. CAN I SCREAM NOW??? I'm sorry. Fellow landlord here, for the past decade. Was she a long term tenant who went bad? Or someone you gave a chance to, though she didn't really qualify. I'd have been posting a notice if an unknown individual moved in without screening, because my Lease prohibits that. He could have been a registered sexual offender or just out of jail or something. I know it's no help now, but screen, screen, screen the next tenant after you get this mess cleaned up and don't let anyone in without good landlord references (which includes a positive answer to "Did you return all of the Security Deposit?" "Why did you retain any?" "What damages occurred to the property?" "What was the rental amount (to see if it matched what they said on the App)?" and "Would you rent to her again?", after verifying you are talking to an actual landlord, of course, which isn't always that easy!). Good landlord refs, good credit (or clear explanation for a period of bad credit, with improvement since), no bankruptcy (unless something like medical expenses), no evictions ever, and no criminal history! NO pets. NEVER any cats (the urine smell cannot be removed) and ONLY a dog if it is an original dog they have owned for 6+ years and former landlords attest to its non-problematic nature. I've let 2 dogs in in 10 years, both 8 year old non-aggressive dogs and it worked out fine. Anyway, you will have to have the carpet and the pad removed, the floor sealed with Kilz or something or the odor will come back, and new carpet or laminate (might try laminate -cheap at Costco and Big Box stores and can replace sections if needed). Make SURE you keep a urine-soaked section of carpet and pad and seal it in a large plastic bag to take to court. Take photos before you clean up, so you can compare them with the photos you took of the property before she moved in, when it was in excellent condition. Provide a copy of the Move-in Checklist where all defects were noted prior to tenancy and tenant signature is included (hope you did this!). Good luck and I hope you find someone 100 times better. They are out there but you have to sift through a lot you would never rent to to find them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Please, check your fire insurance policy! You are worrying too soon. This might all be covered. No, no, no! Do not call your insurance company for tenant vandalism unless it is catastrophic. You will get dinged on the CLUE report and your rates will go up AND they will come and find more things you need to fix. My landscaper told me he ignored my advice on this when he had a minor flooding issue and the insurance company came by, looked the house over and demanded that he also get a new roof immediately. I never call the insurance company for anything that is less than catastrophic and hopefully falls into the (misnomer) "Act of God" category so they will cover it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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