Evicting Tenant After 2 Months

[Mitch Kronowit]

We purchased a SFR in Murrieta, fixed it all up, and hired a property manager to rent it for us. About 6 weeks after we closed, he found a self-employed tenant with a 730 FICO and over $20k in the bank. Our new tenant paid the rent for two months then stopped. He doesn't return phone calls and won't answer the door when our property manager knocks.

We gave a 3-day notice via mail and by posting one on the garage door (it was gone when our property manager returned). No response. So now we've hired an attorney to handle the eviction. I'm waiting for word that the tenant has been properly served.

Why did an otherwise well qualified tenant just flake out? Did his business go bust and he's out of money? If he a professional deadbeat that forged his documents? Did he steal someone else's identity for the credit score? It's nothing I've ever seen before.

Any speculation how this might turn out? Is he scrambling to find a place to move to now, before he gets thrown out? Is he going to file bankruptcy? How trashed is the place going to be when I remove him?

Yes, I'm pretty ticked off right now. I've been renting out my condo in San Diego for over 10 years, managing it myself 90% of the time without any tenant problems. Not even 1 late payment in over a decade. (Was I lucky or good? Note: I rather BE lucky than good! :wink:) Now, the second time in my life that I use a property manager, I get a dirt-bag tenant.

However, I'm still interested in buying more rental properties, but my wife has really soured on the idea, so it's probably going to take some time before she's comfortable again. Thanks for reading.

[Aly W.]

Originally posted by MikeOH:

Screening is obviously very important, but even the best screening on the planet won't prevent you from having to evict deadbeats from time to time.

This is reassuring for new landlords...since the eviction process makes you feel like you screwed up. I won the judgement against my deadbeat, but he's got nothing to go after. I guess after the first eviction, you realize exactly what Mike said - it's just part of the business.