How to go after back rent after eviction

Question

Had one of my tenants evicted for abandonment. Was wondering what options I have and how to go about it to get my back rent and fees owed. And what documents do I need from the courts to go about it? The only thing my Lawyer who did the eviction were the Pretrial documents. Not sure if it matters but the unit I evicted my tenant fro. Is in Louisiana but she now currently resides in Texas.

Julie Hartman · Answer

@Katy Hung We've had decent luck with a collection agent. Yes, they take a big cut (40% or so) BUT they do all the work. You simply need to provide them with the documents they request and sit back and wait. IF they can locate the former tenant, they will go after them with whatever method they think yields the best outcome, usually garnishment.

Scott M. · Answer

Small claims court by yourself and/or turn it over to a collections agency.  The issue rarely is winning in court, it is collecting.  And that is sometimes a separate license and has very different rules then being a property manager.   Best to work with pro's on that front.  Also, as others have said will take a ton of time and the outcome is generally not positive.  But giving it to a collections agency that will work on a % VS a fee is really the only way to go in my opinion.

Theresa Harris · Answer

Depending on the amount, you could try small claims court.  As Jonathan said, you are unlikely to ever see the money.  If you get a judgment from small claims court, you can turn it over to a collection agency.  You'd still only see part of the money if anything, but you then have them using their resources to go after it.

Eric James · Answer

This is something I'd like to get up to speed on myself. I don't expect the tenant to simply pay back rent owed. Rather, I'd just be interested in getting a judgement filed against them which could place some limitations on them in the future. In the off chance that one day they might seek to get the judgement lifted.

Julie Hartman · Answer

We use a company in Denver but I am sure there are reputable collection agencies in your community. Doing a Google search in NOLA, a listing with the BBB pops up and they have a list of agencies to chose from. I would contact a few and ask what the process is, their success rate, and what their cut would be. Good luck!

Katy Hung · Answer

@julie Hartman

@Julie Hartman do you have a company you recommend? If not what’s the best course to find a good collections agency

Jonathan Styer · Answer

You're usually better off cutting your losses and just getting the property back up and running. Collecting is going to be very difficult and you're time and money will most likely be greater than the amount of back rent. That being said if its substantial amount, I would suggest getting help from your lawyer.

How to go after back rent after eviction

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