Well, it finally happened. After 20 years in the LL business, we finally had to evict a tenant. We informed the tenant that we would not be renewing her lease and she decided that meant she didn't have to pay her rent.

We hired an attorney, posted the 5 day notice and paperwork was filed in court on May 15. (Following that zero tolerance policy!) Summons to appear was served today. Tonight we got a text that she had moved out and left keys on the counter.

We went up to the house and sure enough, it's empty (though quite dirty). She failed to mention that she took the stove, dryer, kitchen faucet and ceiling lights!

Here's the strange part. She's been living there for 10 years and paid rent on time every month until now. I guess she thought she had some ownership in the place at this point!

If you're wondering why we decided not to renew, it's because she has become more difficult in the past few years and I don't want to deal with difficult tenants! Anyway, at least she left of her own volition and we didn't have to pay the sheriff to move her out. Thankfully, the house wasn't destroyed.

You got your house back! There are thou happy! It's not terribly damaged! There are thou happy!

Missing appliance easily replaced, clean and update, raise rent and RENT ON!

Another 10 year tenant? Just read another post today about these types. Your tenant of 10 years owns those items they stole. Let them steal from you. They have rights also not to mention there "entilted" to those items.

Anyone who would just sweep this under the rug-- needs there business model burned. This is your home and you let them borrow it-- would you let them take things from your home?

File your claim- be sure to properly document for your civil claim and get it out there for all to see (all being other LL's).

myob - She has paid every month until May. We were in the house on April 27. Other than her less than stellar housekeeping, nothing was amiss.

Her uncooperativeness in recent times was not about rent. It was a variety of things. She refused to change from paying by check to direct/ electronic deposit and was nasty about our request. She always used delay tactics whenever we wanted to come into the house(for appropriate reasons with valid notice). She would not respond to inquiries about the property. For example, this winter when we had the extended sub zero weather, we contacted all tenants to make sure they were watching for frozen pipes, leaving kitchen sink cabinets open, etc. She would not acknowledge us.

I don't have the time or desire to deal with this type of person.

I already have a tenant for this house as soon as we get it cleaned up and ready. It's a great tenant from one of our other properties who has been wanting a bigger house.

I understand that the outgoing tenant has "paid" over the years, but that still does not allow her to steal from us. The appliances probably would have been replaced. However, taking the kitchen sink faucet and lights was clearly done intentionally to spite us. Her deposit will cover the lost rent, but not everything else, including the legal fees.

We will "rent on," but still attempt to recover damages.

Sometimes it's best to have a turnover. Sorry this ended up this way, but your plan sounds like it is solid. Clean up, repair, rent again.

I didn’t read anyone sweeping anything under the rug. Sue has mentioned in her initial post that she was going to go after damages charges. Just because others celebrated that there was very little work to be done to turn the unit over doesn’t indicate to me that they wouldn’t go after additional damages either. Just that they look on the bright side, but still take appropriate steps.

Jeff [CO] I've been saying the exact same thing to my SO who prefers not to go after T's who pull stunts like this. Me, oh heck no, as I say, I am not afraid of that window at the courthouse.

Sue and herein lies the problems of unprofessional LL's. Tenant is not your problem now???? To another poster she did say she wasn't going to bother.

Sue I posted my thoughts about how you should have had an eye on this problem-- you had enough warning. As far as arrest-- unless you see them move out the items it's still civil. What needs to be recorded is the debt so when they apply somewhere else you'll be able to forewarn the new-- unsuspecting LL.

Side not about theft: we record all serial numbers of our appliances- stove, dishwasher, furnace AC unit. Without that you have no claim.

Busy WI I hope most here don't take your kind of advise as a business model. I agree with yes -- turn it as fast-- I say yes to get it re-rented. I say absolutely no to making it easy for others to steal from you and disgrace/trash your property.

Jeff, I had a tenant steal appliances. Contacting police was a total waste of time. They refused to do anything stating because I had given tenants keys, thereby allowing them access to property, it was a civil matter.

you got off easy. this is a classic example of tenants not knowing that the stuff they affix to your property becomes YOUR property. i got $50 says THEY installed the items they took. in their mind they were taking their stuff.

be sure you do a proper deposit accounting, deliver it on time and move on. the stuff she stole is definitely bad but we all know it will not help to report it and the time spent will be purely wasted time you can spend watching TV or furthering your empire.

after 10 years the value of the stolen items is zero. the court will rebuke you and the cops will have their time wasted. you can get your drawers in a wad but it will gain you nothing.

It is not wasted time to have a great move in price sheet for items missing or damaged on move out. I totally agree unless u catch them in the act and have serial numbers you can't get them arrested. Who wants to anyway. Replacement costs for stolen and missing items if agreed to on move in are another story. Our move in covers all this and more-- like stolen carpet at 1900.00.

I feel you u all, out in some of our states juirstictions, that totally ignore their duty to the honest men and women in the country. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO STEAL FROM YOU.

With that said when presented to the normal judge-- when they see the condition and theft and documentation supporting the judge will be hard pressed not to act. As an example. Many tenants squawk to judge they're charging me 15.00 per light bulb-- judge will comment that "it seems high to them also" -- this is when the manager kicks in his-- "judge they agreed to it at move in time" -- there is the signature. They can't now claim it is to high-- they shouldn't have signed then. WITHOUT EXCEPTION EVERY JUDGE HAS FOUND FOR US USING THAT TERMINOLOGY.

Danno yes I've had units stolen. not by tenants but when it wasn't a felony in GA to steal and sell units many where stolen. They passed a law that junk yards could only buy the copper with proper documentation and the theft has subsided.

I agree that you should sue for the damages beyond the security deposit. You never know when you might succeed in collecting.

I also like the fact that you're not distraught, just glad to lose a tenant going downhill fast. Get it cleaned up, fixed, and ready for the waiting tenant, file that suit, and move on.

Life's too short to spend time being angry - it took me about three months to realize that after one atrocious situation with a moveout. Longer for my hubby - it was probably several years before I could mention that event without his blood pressure rising. I know for a fact that the help that I got from the good people on this site helped me to adjust and "rent on". (And I also learned a lot about screening, and about hiring out the cleanup, that has prevented a similar experience in the past 11 years!)