Prior tenant still hasn't paid past due rent - Landlord Forum thread 338461

Prior tenant still hasn't paid past due rent by Andrea (Virginia) on August 29, 2015 @14:32

My prior tenant never paid her last month of rent. She claims I "can use the security deposit to pay it," however she left significant property damage unremedied, and it cost me thousands of dollars to fix the property after she moved out. (She also stayed 10 days beyond the rental term without paying that time). After sending her multiple notices of this non-payment, she has now flat-out refused to pay. In fact, her husband (who was not a tenant or occupant of the house) sent me a threatening, profanity-laced email telling me to leave her alone.
Does anyone have a suggestion? I think I may need to get an attorney involved.
Also, how can I report her non-payment to credit rating agencies?

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Re: Prior tenant still hasn't paid past due rent by Roger (CO) on August 29, 2015 @14:39	[ Reply ]

You're just dealing with this now? Landlording is a business, not a hobby. Time to get serious.

Re: Prior tenant still hasn't paid past due rent by Garry (Iowa) on August 29, 2015 @15:28	[ Reply ]

You can always get an attorney involved. But first you need to figure out if the former T is worth going after. Do you know where she now lives, or does she have a job anywhere? Does she have any other bank accounts you could go after? If you sue her and win, you can garnish her wages, until she quits that job, then you start all over again. And you need to find out if you hire an attorney, that you can pass along those costs to her. In some states, you can't. A lot of thought always needs to go into a decision to sue someone or not. Sometimes a LL just has to take the loss, chalk it up to a lesson learned, and move forward. Good Luck.

Re: Prior tenant still hasn't paid past due rent by Don (CO) on August 29, 2015 @15:48	[ Reply ]

In my book, They are ALWAYS worth going after. I don't allow people to rip me off without fighting back. We turn the deadbeats over to a collection agency no matter how little they owe. I would personally file a small claims suit over $15 or less. Why? On principle. The word gets around that you're not a pushover, and people pay. If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything.

Re: Prior tenant still hasn't paid past due rent by Anonymous on August 30, 2015 @03:37	[ Reply ]

Thousands of dollars damage, and she did not pay last month's rent? You should have begun the eviction procedure the minute she was an hour late with the last month's rent. Run, don't walk to your attorneys office, because it sounds like you are really late in taking care of this.