Re: My tenants did not pay their last month's rent

Re: My tenants did not pay their last month's rent by Eloise on June 4, 2012 @10:43

If I were you:
#1. FOLLOW all and every one of your State's Landlord/Tenant Laws. Go on the right hand side of the website and find all the laws you need regarding SD Settlement refunds. As crazy as this sounds, you CAN be sued for 3x's the SD they paid if you do not send out a final Security Deposit Settlement Letter!!
#2. Travel to where your house is, regardless, and unfortunately, you have to look at the damages of the house and take care of those or make arrangements to get them taken care of immediately before your Security Deposit Settlement time-limit is up {check the state where the property is law's, sometimes is as little as 15 days so you want to get on this ASAP}. All damages they did, minus normal wear and tear. I would not take my friend's words on this, I would prefer to see it and inspect it for myself.
#3. There will be a balance due from the tenant, {rent and damages}, send them via CERTIFIED MAIL the SD Settlement Letter with their balance due to their last known address {if they gave you a new address, send it there} demanding for the balance within xx days. They will not pay.
#4. Take them to Small Claims Court. You will either have to do this yourself, or hire a Landlord/Tenant Lawyer. {I am not even sure you can hire a lawyer for this, other posters will surely know}.
#5. Once you get your judgement, you will then find out how to get your money back, there might be wages garnishments involved, definitely it will be on their record!

Do not rent to ANYONE ELSE without following the LPA lease {all documents and info you need will be on the right of the website} I understand you need to get the place rented, but being out of state is complicated enough, you need a GOOD lease, and a GOOD tenant, and all the forms here will help you get those 2 things!
Best of luck

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