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Renter Woes

February 21st, 2008 at 08:47 pm

Well still haven't heard from my renter, they haven't paid Feb's rent and I made the payment out of my DS account (which is funds I save up to settle my last two credit cards) So as much as I hate it, I have to try and keep that mortgage current, I have enough to make March's payment as well but unless they pay up my DS account will keep declining. We already submitted last week the demand for payment, and my DH just called and left them a message, saying if we don't hear from them by tomorrow morning, we are going to the court house to get the official notice that we can evict them. Even if we can get them out in the next week, we need a day or so to clean it, and get it in the paper to re-rent it out, which will take some time. So we'll see, the best case scenario is they pay up and stay/pay March's rent and they are out by 3/31 - as I had already given them notice that their lease will not be extended.

Even with that and with a judgment, most likely I will never see the $1150 I paid out this month or the $1150 I'll pay out for March. Which puts me back $2500.

If I could sell the house I would, but at this point I think we could get a tenant who will pay almost the full amount of rent. If we can then I can keep rebuilding my DS account, settle these two cards, work on paying of the medical debt and other business debt and in two years actually be in a position to pay off some of the 2nd on these houses. These could become great assets/investments, but right now, they just aren't. Oh well, were doing what we can. If we can;t get this done, then I may have to list this house and try to work a short sale with the lender. I hope it doesn't come to that, but we only have so much that we can spread around to everything.

I hope it gets better soon though, I really hate stressing about the rental when I thought I was starting to get a good grasp on everything else and making progress.



7 Responses to “Renter Woes”

  1. racerx Says:
    1203629224

    Hi
    Yea, go to court and get them evicted. In most states an eviction, or even the formal process of an eviction is enough of an incentive to either get the tenants to pay up or pack up and leave in the middle of the night.
    Either one would work in your predicament.
    In Florida for example, if eviction papers are even filed, let alone served it goes onto the tenant's record. All places in Fl check all applicants for evictions or eviction proceedings. If you have either they will not rent to you. Now I'm sure they could find someplace over in the drug infested area of town, but who wants to live there? That's where they will be living for the rest of their lives. Also, when you go to court the court will order him to repay all back rents/fees and such. If he doesn't pay they deny him a fishing license, a hunting license, and a driver's license. The court will also put a lean on anything of value that he owns.
    I would take them to court. People like that are like shoplifters. If you don't stop it for good, they think it's alright. Know what I mean?
    Racerx

  2. jaiparis Says:
    1203631604

    Yes, I agree - it's just I've been trying to work with them, but the rent gets to me later and later each month. I might just be to much of a softie because I know what it feels like to have not have enough $ for everything and to try and keep going, but we are at the end now, and we will be going to the courthouse tomorrow to get the court order. I don't like feeling like I'm throwing people out on the street but at this point we have evict them.

  3. creditcardfree Says:
    1203634164

    Do you have to pay at the courthouse for the eviction? Can you offer the tenant an incentive to move out in 48 hours instead of going to the courthouse. If you can offer them $100-200 to move that quickly, you might have a better chance of getting someone else in there soon!! Of course, only pay if they do. Good luck.

  4. HelpMeFriend Says:
    1203639741

    How nice is the house to pay $1150 a month? That is really high, and I can see how they have problems paying it.

  5. jaiparis Says:
    1203642694

    At this point I don't think even that would work, paying them $100 or $200, they wouldn't do it anyway, the fee at the courthouse is $60 but we will be able to add this to the judgment. Also - the house is really nice, it's a newer house and area rents are now going for about $1300 - $1600 in this area, so I should be able to rent it out for about $1400. There are quite alot of people that pay this amount in rent, but it will take some time to find the right tenant this time. Hopefully we can do that quickly. We live in Colorado and the area is a newer area, the house itself is only 5 years old, 1600 sf, with a full basement and all appliances, so we should be able to get $1400.

    I hope we can get everything worked out.

  6. racerx Says:
    1203653375

    My cousin lives in Colorado. Anyways, I can see not wanting to take them to court but if you are going to be a landlord, you got to do what you got to do.
    I'm not a coldhearted s.o.b. I am a single dad raising 2 kids on 21k a year. I know what it's like to start getting behind, but I am never late on rent(yes, I rent), power, car ins. food or phone/internet.
    Stop worrying about your tenants. Worry about yourself. It's your credit, not your tenants that's going to take the hit.
    Oh yea, $1150 mo for 1600sf w/a basement and all appliances is a frickin deal, wherever you live.
    Racerx

  7. reflectionite Says:
    1204620774

    yeah, we pay $380 a week where i live and it's just a normal 4 bedroom house with a double garage. in about two months it's due to go up again (probably to about $400 a week).

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