Odd tenant situation - what would you guys do?

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Odd tenant situation - what would you guys do?

Matt C.
Chicago, IL · Member since 2012 · 3 posts · 2 votes

I've got a weird situation with a tenant that I'm not sure what to do. I recently bought a 2 flat in Chicago, and the leases from the previous owner were a complete joke with no security deposit. One of the tenants moved out and I moved into the apartment. They didn't pay their last month's rent and there is no security deposit. Per the lease, the tenant was supposed to have repairs done themselves, save receipts, and be reimbursed. This tenant said the repairs in total were the cost of the rent, but hasn't given me receipts for the repairs, so I cannot take them back to the previous owner to be reimbursed. I didn't want to serve the tenant with a 5 day notice because supposedly it could make it harder to get the tenant out of the building at the end of their lease (the lease was up at the end of that month). At the time, I was just happy they moved out, and figured I would take the receipts to the previous owner and get reimbursed for the missing rent. 

The tenant hasn't gotten me the receipts and won't answer any calls. So, I'm basically left without that last month's rent. I had originally just chalked the missing rent up to the cost to getting the tenant to move, but am hoping now that there's some possibility of getting the rent. The rent is $1,000 and I'm thinking it would probably cost more than 1k to get the money. Any ideas?

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Michaela G.
Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
10y

I pick my battles. It would have likely cost you more to have gone through an eviction, with legal cost and missed rents etc. Chalk that up to the cost of business and move on and pick your own tenants.

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  • Account Closed
    Investor · Henderson, NC · Member since 2016 · 484 posts · 208 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Rich E.:

    I just dealt with the same situation.  The owner before me did not collect a security deposit (idiot).  I ended up losing $600 rent plus I paid them $250 to get the f@#$ out!.  They were total losers so even if I would get a judgement, the odds of collecting are slim to none.  Move on and always, always, always get a security deposit.

     And now, those scumbags have no problem renting somebody else's unit because you have done nothing to warn them. I consider the landlord who does not go after deadbeats to also be a deadbeat himself...

    0Reply
  • Michaela G.
    Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Account Closed:
    Originally posted by @Rich E.:

    I just dealt with the same situation.  The owner before me did not collect a security deposit (idiot).  I ended up losing $600 rent plus I paid them $250 to get the f@#$ out!.  They were total losers so even if I would get a judgement, the odds of collecting are slim to none.  Move on and always, always, always get a security deposit.

     And now, those scumbags have no problem renting somebody else's unit because you have done nothing to warn them. I consider the landlord who does not go after deadbeats to also be a deadbeat himself...

     And here again is the guy, who admitted in his first post on BP that he's never had a residential tenant and that he knows that it's much more difficult than dealing with his easy commercial tenants and he's calling experienced landlords 'deadbeat'. 

    You simply have no idea how it works. The only way you can collect anything is to go in front of a judge. So, if your tenant leaves before the hearing or if you pay off your tenant, you can not get a judgment against them. And if you go through the hassle of small claims court, you will have to find out where that person has moved to and serve him, which is not always the easiest. 

    Frankly, you have no standing calling anyone names, when you haven't walked the walk.

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  • Account Closed
    Investor · Henderson, NC · Member since 2016 · 484 posts · 208 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Michaela G.:

     And here again is the guy, who admitted in his first post on BP that he's never had a residential tenant and that he knows that it's much more difficult than dealing with his easy commercial tenants and he's calling experienced landlords 'deadbeat'. 

    So, if your tenant leaves before the hearing or if you pay off your tenant, you can not get a judgment against them.

    Once again you are proving you have no idea what you are talking about.

    1. You have no idea what kind of tenants I have. I've already explained this to you.

    2. Collecting owed debts is the same whether residential or commercial.

    3. If you sue a tenant and they do not show up for court, you automatically win the judgement. Obviously you have no experience here.

    4. Commercial/industrial landlords usually have more money, more assets, and are more advanced than residential landlords.

    One does not have to be a residential landlord to know how to collect debts. Additionally, just because you are a residential landlord, doesn't mean you actually know anything about the business.

    If you keep harassing me it's going to become a problem for you.

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  • Rich E.
    Real Estate Agent · Lawrenceburg, IN · Member since 2015 · 44 posts · 35 votes
    10y

    Go ahead and waste your vacation day in court trying to get blood from a turnip.  I will spend mine with my family.  Also, if you call me when they list me as their last landlord, I would tell you they are losers.....Clueless Idiot!

    0Reply
  • Rich E.
    Real Estate Agent · Lawrenceburg, IN · Member since 2015 · 44 posts · 35 votes
    10y

    Go ahead and waste your vacation days in court trying to get blood out of a turnip. I will spend time with my family. Also, if you call me where they reference their last landlord on the rental application I will tell you they are losers...Idiot!

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  • Account Closed
    Investor · Henderson, NC · Member since 2016 · 484 posts · 208 votes
    10y

    LOL. I do not have "vacation days". I only work less than 100 days a year. Mostly counting money from my tenants.

    It's not just landlords you are warning. Anybody they want to do business with will probably pass if they have an unpaid judgement. No cars, no houses, no loans.

    Going to court once or twice a year is no big deal at all. That's what small claims court is for, it's easy. I guess you wouldn't know how easy it is if you never bothered to go.

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  • Michaela G.
    Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    10y

    You're the one who comes on here and starts insulting me and others, but I'm the one who's harassing you? Boy.......

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  • Account Closed
    Investor · Henderson, NC · Member since 2016 · 484 posts · 208 votes
    10y
    Originally posted by @Michaela G.:

    You're the one who comes on here and starts insulting me and others, but I'm the one who's harassing you? Boy.......

     Isn't it funny how all of your earlier posts in this thread were deleted? All I did was tell you that you were incorrect. That is not an insult, you just aren't very smart. There is no way to sugar coat that. Yes, I am a little blunt when I talk. You obviously can't handle being called wrong, but you are. I am not the only person in this thread who thinks so.

    0Reply
  • Ally Abubakar
    Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2016 · 16 posts · 1 vote
    10y
    I agree with most of the comments. Pick your battles and move forward with your new home. Court, time for $1000? Don't sweat it. Good luck
    0Reply
  • Toby Bergstrom
    Engineer · Worcester, MA · Member since 2015 · 54 posts · 40 votes
    10y

    $1000 is cheap and they have moved out of the apartment you wanted to move into... with that said you have decided to become a landlord and for ~$100 or so you can learn what might be a valuable lesson by learning about the process of bringing a tenant to court in Chicago. I've been to housing court here in central MA many times in the past 20 years suing and being sued. I've never lost, and except for 3 $15 payments toward a $2k judgement never collected a penny but I've learned a lot each time I've been in the court room.

    0Reply
  • John CasmonPro Member
    Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    @Matt C.  Sounds like you inherited a terrible lease with provisions most landlords would never approve. Probably not an eviction issue, but something that should have been planned for after reviewing the leases during due diligence. 

    Do you have any proof that the tenant didn't do the repairs they're claiming or is it that they haven't presented receipts? It wouldn't be difficult to cook up a couple phony invoices so keep that in mind as you weigh your options. 

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