tenants from hell - please help

[Kate J.]

My tenants subleted a room in the house without my permission, and now the guy is late on payment and refuses to leave. The new lease starts on the first of September - please help. Holly cow, what should I do now???

[Roy N.]

@Kate J.

First, your agreement is between yourself and your tenants, so they remain accountable for the rent regardless of what their (illegal) sub-let does.

Second, you should have already served notice on your tenants (worded to included all occupants) for late rent and, by this point in the month, have begun the eviction process.

Depending on the wording of your lease and local tenancy law, you should have also served them to cure the unauthorized sublet.

Now that you are really in a jamb, you may consider resorting to use of a carrot (cash for keys) to get this fellow out ... I'd serve first and then {first} try to use the unpaid rent as barter.