Tenant taking me to court

[Jim S.]

I suspect a tenant is going to take me to court over her deposit. How long does it normally take when someone files for court until I would be severed?

[Nathan Gesner]

Originally posted by @Jim S.:

I suspect a tenant is going to take me to court over her deposit. How long does it normally take when someone files for court until I would be severed?

Jim, take a deep breath. If I had a dollar for every time a tenant threatened to sue, I would have dozens of dollars. I have gone through thousands of tenants and not a single one has ever sued me. They typically make this threat, hoping you'll give back some or all of the deposit. It's generally an empty threat and you'll never hear from them again.

Even if they do sue, you just have to prove your case. Can you document what they were charged for? Do you have evidence of the before/after condition (preferably pictures)? Do you have witnesses? Can you stand before a judge and show that you complied with the law and your lease, that you treated the tenant honestly and fairly?

When a tenant threatens to sue, I have one of two reactions: ignore or send evidence

I only send evidence if I think there's a remote chance they will follow through. I will send them a few pictures to prove I have documentation, along with a pretty short, professional letter: