Wife / Husband split, one moved out - Landlord Forum thread 356857

Wife / Husband split, one moved out by Henry (California) on April 16, 2018 @00:50

I need your advice on an issue with my California renters (husband and wife). Earlier in the month, the wife said they will move out at the end of lease and gave me a move-out notice, now the move-out is mostly done. When I met the wife yesterday for checkout, she said she is divorcing her husband, her husband was on drugs and left the house already. She want to turn the house back to me and get the deposit. I realized I haven't seen her husband in the last few visits and looking back on the move-out notice she texted me: there is only her signature not her husband's (she put both of their names in the notice, but only she signed it).

I asked her to find her husband and add her husband's signature on the notice, she said she couldn't find her husband. I mentioned she would still be liable for the rent if her husband didn't officially sign the move-out notice, she gets paranoid and yelling she had enough: the issues with her husband, drugs and moving out stress and I was taking advantage of her situation.

How should I deal with that, can I take back the house?

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Re: Wife / Husband split, one moved out by Garry (Iowa) on April 16, 2018 @04:08	[ Reply ]

Need more info------when is the lease up? Has April's rent been paid? What did you do yesterday at "check out"---get keys back? do a walk thru? What do you mean "the move out is "mostly" done. Do NOT give any deposit back now, even if you have possession back. Get a forwarding address from the wife, and tell her you will mail the deposit statement within 30 days AFTER you officially get physical possession back-----that means keys returned, and "mostly" all their possessions are gone. If need be, post a 24 hour notice on their door that you are going in to see if they have moved out. Then make a decision as to if they have moved out. Take a witness with you, and take pics of everything you find. If most of the furniture, and daily living items are gone, (in closets, kitchen cupboards, refrig ) then they are gone.

Re: Wife / Husband split, one moved out by Katiekate (New York) on April 16, 2018 @09:57	[ Reply ]

Are they still married? If so..her signature is quite enough for the married couple. Finish the move out. Not “mostly”, but final. Clean and empty. Do the move out walk thru according to CA state law, get the keys, and when you mail the deposit check.....mail it to her, but put BOTH names on the check.

Re: Wife / Husband split, one moved out by anon (cal) on April 16, 2018 @18:33	[ Reply ]

You can re-rent the house when she leaves. Are you just talking about a deposit return?