Re: My tenant stole my stuff! - Landlord Forum thread 263654

Re: My tenant stole my stuff! by Land and Lorder (ME) on August 9, 2012 @15:28

I have filed a police report. I've called local appliance shops and describedy appliances. Nothing sold yet, but they will let me and the police know if anything comes in like that. I am in the process of filing with homeowner's insurance, but that claim will take a while. Meanwhile my unit is empty.

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Re: My tenant stole my stuff! by NY-LL on August 9, 2012 @16:01	[ Reply ]

Nonetheless, the tenants will eventually be held accountable for the stolen appliances. The tenant probably used a professional moving company or hired a professional rental van or truck. Check with the neighbors to confirm if anyone took notice of the name of the truck company used to move the tenants. The USPS may be able to provide a forwarding address to the police department. The tenants’ former employer(s) may also have a forwarding address for the tenant’s final paycheck. The State of Maine allows the landlord to collect a maximum security deposit of two (2) months rent. In the future, require a security deposit which reflects the actual cost of appliances, apparatus, and fixtures, including carpeting which tenants have been known to remove upon vacating.

Re: My tenant stole my stuff! by Land and Lorder (ME) on August 9, 2012 @16:50	[ Reply ]

It's great to think about getting 2 months of a security deposit, but in my area, it's unfortunately not really going to happen. My unit would sit empty far, far too long. That's just not the norm around here. A tenant would look at spending 3x the monthly rent just to move in and go rent somewhere else that wasn't requiring so much. That's why I screen so carefully. Like I said in my original post, this guy was a great tenant. His application came back great, a credit score in the high 700's, small auto loan under $5,000 was his only debt, had lived in regionally known apartment complexes where I was able to easily verify his status, 2 months of paystubs, etc. No red flags at all. I will attempt to contact his employer and see if the neighbors may know what moving company he used.

Re: My tenant stole my stuff! by Micah on August 9, 2012 @16:14	[ Reply ]

I bet they listed them on Craigslist and people came and picked them up from the house before they moved out. That or someone saw them move out and stole them once they were gone.

Re: My tenant stole my stuff! by Suzanne (Louisiana) on August 10, 2012 @19:45	[ Reply ]

I just found out my former deadbeat tenant who never paid a dime in rent for two months she lived in my house under a LEASE TO PURCHASE agreement...made off with my refrigerator too! It was there when she moved in...and gone when she moved out. She never paid me after promising payment five times..signing a promisary note she was liable for all of the option and rent due..plus costs. She vanished after I evicted her and my possibly uninformed realtor never even noticed it was gone...on the final walk through! Two months later my brother paid a visit to the property since I live out of state now..and it's gone! I'm damn sure filing a police report...in the works already..and a judgment to try and regain some of my losses. I doubt my tenant has the frig. She sold it. She was a seasoned thief and con artist.

Re: My tenant stole my stuff! by Anonymous on August 11, 2012 @11:08	[ Reply ]

(She was a seasoned thief and con artist) Why did you rent to her then? Background check?