Do you tenants appear in court when you do? - Landlord Forum thread 327556

Do you tenants appear in court when you do? by Bill (MD) on November 18, 2014 @11:27

Just curious when you file a P&Q or other notice what is the general attendance of the tenant. I heard it's generally very low?

Also when they come what is their recourse. Do they just have a bag of excuses? What if they come and say BS like their is a water leak and the heat is not working etc??? (when you've never heard these things before?)

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Re: Do you tenants appear in court when you do? by B on November 18, 2014 @13:06	[ Reply ]

I own a property in Annapolis, and yes expect them to lie, cheat, and steal their way to stay even an hour longer than they are supposed to. If they don't show up it's usually an automatic win for the LL. I have never had to go through eviction procedures yet. Crossing my fingers. I sit in on court sessions to try to get a feel for how things go, common mistakes that are made by both LL and renters.

Re: Do you tenants appear in court when you do? by Me2 (CA) on November 18, 2014 @15:17	[ Reply ]

I've done 2 commercial evections. Both were no-shows so we won by default.

Re: Do you tenants appear in court when you do? by Katiekate (New York) on November 18, 2014 @16:55	[ Reply ]

When I was managing apartments in MA... I was getting about 80% turn out. It was a place with very high Sect 8, so most of them showed up with Legal Aide. Every judge knows the bull about how suddenly the unit isnt habitable ... but only after they stop paying rent. AND..they dont move out. Judges are not stupid...they have heard it a million times more than you and me both. The only one that nearly got away with a lie... she told her legal aide that she offered me the rent money in the hallway before coming in..and I refused to take it. The judge was about to sign the part of the court document to vacate the eviction..when..suddenly the judge thought it over, and told the tenant to give me the rent money right there, right then. Well...she had no money on her to pay me. Judge scratched out her signature to vacate, and signed the other side of the court order...ordering the eviction immediately (no 72 hour delay). Got really mad at the legal aide and told her to see her in chambers.

Re: Do you tenants appear in court when you do?

Re: Do you tenants appear in court when you do? by Monica (Ohio) on November 18, 2014 @19:43	[ Reply ]

In recent years, most all of them have been showing up. In the early years most didn't show in court. I haven't figured it out. Most of them, their demeanor.....they're hoping the magistrate will show compassion and allow them to stay. Only my last one that I can recall showed up for a fight, lies and BS because she was angry. I got on her about her not paying her water bill, when she continuously failed to pay it, I told her that I could evict her for that. So she thought she could not pay her rent and not be evicted.

Re: Do you tenants appear in court when you do? by Anonymous on November 19, 2014 @09:17	[ Reply ]

I sat through 53 evictions recently and only about 15 tenants showed up. The LLs won by default in most cases. Are you going to wear you new suit?

Re: Do you tenants appear in court when you do?