tenant owes rent money and evicted
What is the next step after taking the tenant to court for three months of unpaid rent? Is she required to pay the full debt, or will she simply be evicted without paying? I live out of state and a property management company handles my rental unit, but they don't provide much information and lately haven't been returning my calls. What should I do in this situation?
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#1 Tenant Screening Contributor
- Honolulu, HI
Reality is that you rarely collect on these type of judgments. The collection companies usually take 50% of anything they are able to recover, and honestly, as they say, you cannot get blood from a turnip. If the tenants were young-ish and were mostly employed, MAYBE in 5 - 10 years when they are at a responsible point in life and want to buy a house, they will be required to clear an old judgment. OTOH, if they were older, or disabled and with a lifetime of poor choices or bad experiences, the likelihood of them ever having enough assets to go after is pretty slim. If you get a judgment, you need to "renew" them every 7 years or so, check local law.