Eviction--they TRASHED our duplex!!!

[Carol in Cal.]

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.

 

WHAT I SAID WAS TO CHECK THE POLICY. There is no reason to call the company if you don't have this coverage, but if you do they will coordinate the repairs, pay for them, and pay for missed rent during the repair period. That is huge, and worth a 'ding' if you ask me. However, don't call them unless you have vandalism coverage.

[Jennifer3141]

I'm so sorry about this. Some people just stink. :(

[TranquilMind]

WHAT I SAID WAS TO CHECK THE POLICY. There is no reason to call the company if you don't have this coverage, but if you do they will coordinate the repairs, pay for them, and pay for missed rent during the repair period. That is huge, and worth a 'ding' if you ask me. However, don't call them unless you have vandalism coverage.

Ok, sorry, I guess I misread that a bit. It wouldn't hurt to check the policy. But I still don't call unless the damage is catastrophic and very high dollar, as in the tens of thousands. I have a high deductible because I'd rather pay low premiums every single year and pay more out if I actually have a claim. None yet.

 

I've come out ahead on this policy in the 30 years I have been paying for insurance of some kind or another.

[HandmaidenofChrist]

Like others have said, finding good renters are hard to come by now, but they do exist.

 

I have watched both sides of the fence, from a renters perspective and a landlords perspective. Some renters I've seen have been good renters, while others have been flakes. Same with the landlords. Just depends on the situation.

 

I think a background check is in order for any kind of rental these days, as well as a credit check. Someone mentioned here, they fill out a credit report app, but are honest if there will be anything on it, and they don't try to hide their problems. I guess I would tend to work with someone who is working on getting their credit straightened out, if they showed a regular income and steady employment, but a flat out liar would not be tolerated, for sure!

 

{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}

Sorry you're going through this and that the former tenants have left you guys with such a mess. I'll be praying you get this place cleared out quickly and will manage to get some of your money back from these flakes, with the help of the courts.

[mcconnellboys]

Take tons of pictures from every angle, even save carpet samples, perhaps. Get everything certified with a date that you took the pictures, so they can't try to say that this wasn't from them but from someone else at some other time....

[kiana]

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.

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Are you sure they didn't butcher an animal and drain the blood or something? I can't imagine how you could end up with more than a few. Holy COW!

[kiana]

The really, really crummy thing is that it makes it very hard to find a rental. It was totally impossible for me to find any decent place to rent for my first apartment since I had no credit either. I ended up living in a slum with no windows that would open and no working air conditioner, if you tried to run the vacuum cleaner it would trip the breakers, etc.

[Annie G]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Are you sure they didn't butcher an animal and drain the blood or something? I can't imagine how you could end up with more than a few. Holy COW!

 

I hadn't considered that. But butchering an animal to use the blood for that purpose is even more creepy. Ewww... but it is the same duplex where the guys were raising chickens...but not at the same time.

[PrairieSong]

I am still trying to wrap my head around what motivates people to destroy others' property...to feel they are entitled to keep living there without paying rent, to lie, and then to ask for a few more weeks!!!

 

I'm guessing they may have started, or escalated, the trashing of the place when we began the eviction procedure right before Thanksgiving, because they were angry with us...how DARE we try to evict them.

 

I just don't understand AT ALL. It's almost impossible for me to put myself in their shoes. When I rented as a single person, I'd have been mortified if an animal urinated on the carpet even once, and I'd have cleaned it with a carpet cleaner. I always cleaned everything before I moved out...floors, kitchen, bathrooms, vacuumed the carpets, dusted, etc. I left no trash or personal property behind.

 

Doesn't life ever catch up with these people??? How do they keep on taking advantage of people and playing them, lying, etc., and getting away with it? That is one of my main motivations for going after them legally, so that maybe they'll have to take the consequences of their actions, and whenever some future prospective landlord or employer checks them out, they'll see this. Maybe I can help someone else avoid what we experienced.

[kiana]

I'm guessing they may have started, or escalated, the trashing of the place when we began the eviction procedure right before Thanksgiving, because they were angry with us...how DARE we try to evict them.

 

 

Yep. I'm sad to say that I know people like this. One of them even trashed a house like that after not paying 6 months of rent when her uncle was the landlord and was renting to her at an extremely low rate (basically, just enough to cover the mortgage) so that she wouldn't be homeless.

 

They see you as a representative of "the man" -- she owns more than one property, she can afford it, how dare she try and stick it to the little ones, those rich property owners always try and stick us. It's unfair and it sucks, but it is.

 

I'm really glad you're going after them to hopefully save their next landlord.

[PollyOR]

Wow! Some of these stories are crazy.

 

We live in a duplex and rent the other side. Several years ago our tenants moved out and my parents offered to rent from us. They are the perfect tenants :). They are quiet (only live here during the summer) and my dad is Mr. Fix-it. We lowered the rent quite a bit, but it is totally worth it...especially after reading these crazy stories.

[Moxie]

I am still trying to wrap my head around what motivates people to destroy others' property...to feel they are entitled to keep living there without paying rent, to lie, and then to ask for a few more weeks!!!

 

I'm guessing they may have started, or escalated, the trashing of the place when we began the eviction procedure right before Thanksgiving, because they were angry with us...how DARE we try to evict them.

 

I just don't understand AT ALL. It's almost impossible for me to put myself in their shoes. When I rented as a single person, I'd have been mortified if an animal urinated on the carpet even once, and I'd have cleaned it with a carpet cleaner. I always cleaned everything before I moved out...floors, kitchen, bathrooms, vacuumed the carpets, dusted, etc. I left no trash or personal property behind.

 

My daughter summed it up for me. "Some people are just a-holes, Mom."

 

Doesn't life ever catch up with these people??? How do they keep on taking advantage of people and playing them, lying, etc., and getting away with it? That is one of my main motivations for going after them legally, so that maybe they'll have to take the consequences of their actions, and whenever some future prospective landlord or employer checks them out, they'll see this. Maybe I can help someone else avoid what we experienced.

 

Of course it will catch up with them. Do you think they will ever get it in gear to own their own home? Do you think she will ever have a quality relationship with a man or even a quality female friendship? I'd vote no. No one wants to hang out with a professional victim for too long. Feel bad for her and be glad she is out of your life.

[Abeth78]

: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.

 

See and while I havent read all the responses yet. We were dog owners and took immaculate care of our appt ( so did our neighbors downstairs ). I know many don't but it I so hard to have a beloved pet and not get a nice place to rent because other stupid peope have ruined it. I am willing to bet there would have been other damage without the animal.

 

I am so sorry they trashed your place. That is reprehensible! We were good to our landlord and she was good to us. I hope you will find good long term tenets this time.

[TravelingChris]

We have pets and have rented in the past. We had a dog and a cat. Now we were renting higher end places and we have very good credit and also references. Our security deposits were always one months rent so 1900 at the Florida place and 3000 at the VA place. Both places had non refundable pet deposits and in both places the pets did nothing. In Florida, one or two rooms needed repainting because the girls used a supposedly safe product to put on posters and it wasn't. I think we lost 400 of the deposit but we weren't surprised given the problem. Otherwise we kept the house clean and hired cleaners and carpet cleaners before we gave the keys. In the VA house, we got all the deposit back since the girls learned to use tacks instead.

 

If by bad luck, dh gets transferred again, we will have to rent this place. Again, we will rent for big money and use a property management agency. We didn't have issues with the tenants we had in NM probably because we had a more upscale property and charged a more upscale rent. The property management did credit checks and checks of previous landlords. It was worth it to us.

[wtrmlnlabs]

Oh my goodness!! I send :grouphug: to all that have been burned!! We are planning to be moving soon and will rent our home out, I knew there could be issues but it's getting scary now! :001_huh: This is my childhood home, I grew up here and we ended up buying it. It would break my heart if it was destroyed!! I already figured NO PETS, as much as I hate to say that, we love our dogs, but are very strict with them and I know they can do so much damage. Not that I wasn't going to already, but certainly will be stressing the background/credit checks. Starting to think it might be better to rent through a realtor, does that make a difference? Make it easier? UGH!!!

[creekland]

They see you as a representative of "the man" -- she owns more than one property, she can afford it, how dare she try and stick it to the little ones, those rich property owners always try and stick us. It's unfair and it sucks, but it is.

 

I'm really glad you're going after them to hopefully save their next landlord.

 

:iagree: There are people out there who just feel that everything is someone else's fault - never their own. Life is totally against them. They are incredibly jealous of anyone who has made it, because, after all, it was just "luck." They feel those people owe them anything and everything. Being a property owner/landlord automatically puts you into that category and they see nothing wrong with giving you what you "deserve" based upon your unwillingness to "share" with them since they are down and out. It literally never occurs to them that landlords might have a mortgage they need to pay and/or that they might not be "rich" as they imagine it. If anyone suggests such a thing they simply "don't know what they're talking about."

 

I know a few of these people and try to avoid them at all costs.

 

We've had to evict one and it wasn't pretty. We have a judgment, but never have gotten any money (if they declare bankruptcy you won't get any money either).

 

I often wonder where these folks continue finding places to live, but I guess it's from people like us who are too trusting at the beginning or are too desperate at needing a tenant and feel it's worth the risk just to have some money coming in. It's not worth the risk. We learned the hard way.

 

In the end, some who are homeless I feel no sympathy for, but that's not across the board. It fully depends upon circumstances and what people are doing to try to help themselves.

[Nestof3]

We know people who owned a home (well, in the sense that they had a mortgage and were paying payments). They foreclosed but lived there for nine months after that without paying anything. They took the stove and kitchen cabinets with them. The house is trashed -- water damage, ruined carpets, filth, etc. A neighbor told me they tried to take the air conditioner unit. They left behind piles of junk all over the lawn and in the house. They were only there for a few years.

[ChristyB in TN]

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.

 

:D A few years ago, before this forum looked like this, someone posted a name generator where you answered all these questions and it generated a pirate name for you, mine was Mad Charity! When this forum changed to this format, I kept my name, of course, and now I have no idea how to change it. There are a couple of pirate names on here, I noticed Dirty Ethel is still here, too! I really have no use for the pirate name anymore, if anyone knows how to change, I would be thrilled to do so!

[amey311]

I'll chime in with "at least they didn't take the pipes." That's happened in a couple of the rentals we own. Oh copper piping - i kind of hate you. We also had a renter completely shatter the porcelain bathroom sink and TAKE the kitchen sink.

 

We've also been dealing with people stealing the electric meters. Those are the property of the electric company, so we don't have to pay to replace the actual meter, but we do have to pay for the damage they cause in the process. Apparently this is a new scam - steal someone's meter and put it on your house. Just be sure to switch it back before the meter reader comes. Then it looks like you've only used a few days worth of electricity versus a whole month. :glare:

[creekland]

 

We've also been dealing with people stealing the electric meters. Those are the property of the electric company, so we don't have to pay to replace the actual meter, but we do have to pay for the damage they cause in the process. Apparently this is a new scam - steal someone's meter and put it on your house. Just be sure to switch it back before the meter reader comes. Then it looks like you've only used a few days worth of electricity versus a whole month. :glare:

 

I had never heard of that one before. I wonder how widespread it is? It sure would be frustrating.

[PrairieSong]

:iagree: There are people out there who just feel that everything is someone else's fault - never their own. Life is totally against them. They are incredibly jealous of anyone who has made it, because, after all, it was just "luck." They feel those people owe them anything and everything. Being a property owner/landlord automatically puts you into that category and they see nothing wrong with giving you what you "deserve" based upon your unwillingness to "share" with them since they are down and out. It literally never occurs to them that landlords might have a mortgage they need to pay and/or that they might not be "rich" as they imagine it. If anyone suggests such a thing they simply "don't know what they're talking about."

 

I know a few of these people and try to avoid them at all costs.

 

Yeah, right, we became landlords because we were filthy rich. :rolleyes: We actually started out young and poor like many other married couples and have worked hard to get where we are. We do have mortgages, property taxes, insurance, and upkeep to pay. But I guess it's still all OUR fault for what happened to them. How dare we not let them live there for free??

 

You know, we have had renters who had a hard month or two financially. The people who communicate with us and actually try to catch up on their rent...that's a totally different story. We try to work with people. The tenant we just evicted did nothing but lie and give us the runaround. There's no way we can work with someone like that.

[Joanne]

I am still trying to wrap my head around what motivates people to destroy others' property...to feel they are entitled to keep living there without paying rent, to lie, and then to ask for a few more weeks!!!

 

I'm guessing they may have started, or escalated, the trashing of the place when we began the eviction procedure right before Thanksgiving, because they were angry with us...how DARE we try to evict them.

 

I just don't understand AT ALL. It's almost impossible for me to put myself in their shoes. When I rented as a single person, I'd have been mortified if an animal urinated on the carpet even once, and I'd have cleaned it with a carpet cleaner. I always cleaned everything before I moved out...floors, kitchen, bathrooms, vacuumed the carpets, dusted, etc. I left no trash or personal property behind.

 

My daughter summed it up for me. "Some people are just a-holes, Mom."

 

Doesn't life ever catch up with these people??? How do they keep on taking advantage of people and playing them, lying, etc., and getting away with it? That is one of my main motivations for going after them legally, so that maybe they'll have to take the consequences of their actions, and whenever some future prospective landlord or employer checks them out, they'll see this. Maybe I can help someone else avoid what we experienced.

 

It's a different world view, a different mentality. You *won't* ever "get it" because you are wired differently. You would never presume that the world (and therefore landlords) "owe" you. People like this do. It's what I was trying to say in the other thread.

 

Does karma catch up with them? I believe, yes. But not in the "justice" way you'd typically think of. They didn't trash the place after you evicted them; they LIVED like that. It's not a good living.

 

Our dog had puppies while living in the last rental (the one we just moved out of.) We had not been able to spay her (they've all, including the puppies, since been fixed) and right before we moved, a stray found us. :glare:

 

Between the multiple dogs, and Adrian's illness, we were unable to train and supervise the dogs in the way we should have. I steam cleaned nearly every night after coming home. AND...........we just paid +$3k to replace the carpets after moving out. The landlords had been so kind when rent got behind (we did catch up), and I wanted them to be able to show the house as soon as we gave advance notice we needed to move. We still have some things (most we'll free cycle) there, and I was there yesterday cleaning. It looks great, and smells new/clean.

 

But I live with a world view, like you, completely different.

 

Our priest just moved here and was looking at a lot of houses--re-po's in many cases. ALL of them were trashed. Most of them looked like it was intentional trashing.

 

One thing that might account for some of what he saw could be damage and vandalism that happens AFTER the foreclosure, in which the former owners are not a part. That happened to my home from last year. We moved out (cleaned, although the carpets needed replacing after 7 years of small, growing kids, and pets). The house stood unoccupied for months and months, and a neighbor teen would break in, and stay, presumably with friends. The foreclosed homes are known, and it is as common for them to be trashed AFTER the former owners leave as the angry-foreclosed on people trashing it.

 

Foreclosed-on- reactions and renters might share some characteristics, but, for the most part, it's a different dynamic. You can't generalize about foreclosed on people; there is much more nuance and variety and circumstances.

[Joanne]

Originally Posted by amey311

 

We've also been dealing with people stealing the electric meters. Those are the property of the electric company, so we don't have to pay to replace the actual meter, but we do have to pay for the damage they cause in the process. Apparently this is a new scam - steal someone's meter and put it on your house. Just be sure to switch it back before the meter reader comes. Then it looks like you've only used a few days worth of electricity versus a whole month.

 

The rental home we just moved into didn't have an a/c unit or electric meter due to theft. Our new landlords replaced them the day we moved in; not wanting to have them on an unoccupied home again.

[Denisemomof4]

I'm SO sorry. That's really awful! We used to be landlords and I couldn't take it anymore. Dh wanted to have several rentals but after dealing with troubled tenants, we sold the duplex and got out of the rental business. I'm SO glad we did.

 

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this mess. We learned early on that allowing pets is a HUGE, HUGE risk. We decided against it.

 

We did have one WONDERFUL tenant for over 10 years. He was so good we never raised his rent. We ended up selling the duplex to him!

[creekland]

 

You know, we have had renters who had a hard month or two financially. The people who communicate with us and actually try to catch up on their rent...that's a totally different story. We try to work with people. The tenant we just evicted did nothing but lie and give us the runaround. There's no way we can work with someone like that.

 

:iagree: That's us too. The other types? I think they should be homeless for a while. It might be the only thing that wakes them up to real life. Otherwise, they need to find that rich person who is willing to totally support them, and to be honest, those are few and far between. One usually has to be related to them.

[kiana]

:iagree: That's us too. The other types? I think they should be homeless for a while. It might be the only thing that wakes them up to real life. Otherwise, they need to find that rich person who is willing to totally support them, and to be honest, those are few and far between. One usually has to be related to them.

 

Or extremely young and good-looking with few moral standards.

 

Of course ... beauty fades.

[MissKNG]

I am still trying to wrap my head around what motivates people to destroy others' property.

 

 

 

My parents built and opened a brand new laundromat with a video arcade attached. It included a pool table. Within a week, there were holes in the walls and ceilings from the pool sticks and the white walls were graffitied with the blue pool stick chalk. (it was a self serve and unmonitored place)

 

Needless to say, the pool table was removed quickly.

 

ETA: In regards to what happened to you, my parents (who have been landlords/business owners for 40 plus years) would take them to small claims without hesitation. Also, they have included a page in the lease that lists how much it will cost a tenant if that tenant chooses to destroy the property and that page is signed and dated. And they list crazy high amounts for even small stuff and it works.

Edited December 12, 2011 by MissKNG

[PrairieSong]

ETA: In regards to what happened to you, my parents (who have been landlords/business owners for 40 plus years) would take them to small claims without hesitation. Also, they have included a page in the lease that lists how much it will cost a tenant if that tenant chooses to destroy the property and that page is signed and dated. And they list crazy high amounts for even small stuff and it works.

 

Yes, we're going to take them to court over the $$$ they owe us in back rent and damages. Ripping out the carpet, having the floors properly cleaned and sealed because of all the dog urine, and then putting in new carpet is going to be VERY VERY expensive. Don't know how much of that we can recoup in wage garnishment, but the eviction guy says you can get someone to track them. The judgment is good for five years and then can be renewed. So, former tenant, good luck trying to get a loan, get a job, get another apartment... I feel very strongly that others should be warned about these people.

 

MissKNG, I like your parents' idea of including a page listing the expenses for various kinds of damage! We might have to borrow that one.