I have an up/down duplex with both tenants relatively new.

Lower is a 45 y/o Sheriff's officer with 2 dogs. One dog is a german shepherd who I allowed in because she was well trained and the other is a small beagle. He has about 6 times income but he is just out of a divorce and having money problems. He moved in in June and has been late each month. My late fees begin on the 3rd of the month and are $5 per day.

On July 2nd I sent him a text about rents due and late fees and he got prickly with me saying he was aware and did not need notice. I told him notifying anyone late on the 2nd is my policy and he can avoid the notice by paying on time. He paid in 2 parts that month on the dates he told me he would.

August he was 2 days late. September I notified him of being late on the 2nd and warned him it was a holiday weekend and he could not pay until Tues the 4th. He sent back that he could not pay until the 14th with his next check. I said OK and waited(dumb me I usually agree to late rents only if I get a signed 10 day pay or quit signed to run out when the appointed day arrives.)

Well he missed the 14th and did NOT respond to my text. Today I sent him notice that I would be sending a Pay or Quit and I would bring it to him to sign or he could be charged for Sheriff's Service(I wonder if he can serve himself?). He sent back a," I am too busy to mess with you today, I will try to pay after work tomorrow, what is a Pay or Quit I never heard of that?") I told him what the notice is and now he's mad....YOU MEAN YOU WANT TO EVICT ME? I told him I usually start eviction on the 5th so he should be grateful and it was not a want but a business policy.

I just got his last text and it's angry, "You get extra money off me being late, but if this if the way you behave, I will start packing,"

Great no more texts, I will issue the pay or quit.

The upper tenant moved in on the 5th and called me 2 days ago because she was overwhelmed by fleas. I put a trap in and yes fleas. The previous Tenant was there for 3 years and had no pets, and before both units moved in, I put traps out to check each unit for fleas. The only source of fleas I can think of is Mr Sheriff Officer's dogs. When I notified him of upper tenant fleas , I asked him if he does flea prevention on his dogs and he said yes. However, his dogs are the only hosts in the house. Now I will have to start treatment with a mad tenant in house.

Thoughts are downstairs guy needs to be moved out ASAP. The money trouble is enough by itself. The attitude and fleas are the icing on the cake.

No more texts, no phone calls. Everything handled in writing and kept as part of records for court. It should be simple: rent not paid = eviction. He gets to pay all the late fees and associated court costs.

Lana,

I rented to a cop once. Never again. Entitled, used to mkaing people obey, friends in hih places, and guns. Cops have a 75% divorce rate often due to their “never back down” training. They have a 15% suicide rate.

In the same vein I rented to a lawyer once. Never again.

Fleas: I confirmed with 2 vets. If the flea “poison” is on or in the animal the fleas bite that animal and die. But when the treated animal is removed or out of range there is nothing to stop the fleas and they tend to be more aggressive (hungry) in their hunt for a mammal.

Your sticky trap is great evidence. We slide ours into a plastic page protector sleeve.

He should realize fleas are just an everyday part of having dogs.

ZT works. They pay. Letting them slide usually leads to anger from the res.

"WMH,cops don't scare me,I had a couple as partners in real estate for several years and were great,They have the same problem's,we have,we're still good friends"

I filed the pay or quit today. He sent numerous texts last night that I did not respond to. They were all along the line of:

I don't need to be bothered like this.

You need to shut up because you are going to get your money

When I leave you will be getting zero rents

I can't believe you are going to evict me, FOR WHAT?

I am a man of my word and if I say I will pay, I will.