Hi,

I've been following your posts for some time and I've come to a point where I need some advice.

You seem to have collecting from tenants who trash a place, don't pay or get evicted down pretty good.

I, on.the other hand, confess that I'm not nearly as good at getting money from them. I've been trying to analyze and correct this but not much success. Perhaps it's because I'm not aggressive enough or that I'm not getting enough info on them to make collecting realistic.

From your posts, it looks like you have refined your methods and made collecting work.

Could you please give some tips to raise the success rates of us who are often losing money due to us from these deadbeats?

Every time I buy a poorly managed apartment complex, on the cheep, the managers/owners never do a full back ground check and have little tenant financial information. They don't even make copies of tenant payment checks.

So when I have to evict them, and then convert the eviction to a money judgement, It's like trying to get blood from a turnip.

On the other hand when a tenant has completed an application and provided me with pay stubs, bank statements, car registration, auto insurance and I have copies of all payments made to me from several of their accounts. With a judgment I can easily collect.

Richard,

Are you referring current tenants who are deadbeats OR are you referring to the ones who have left and owed you back rent and damages? Or all of the above?

Are you practicing any type of Zero Tolerance?

please keep in mind this is for our state GA. For us perfect credit isn't necessary-- time on job is critical. When you do their c/report you can see they owe others but no one is collecting. Maybe turned over to collection but not collecting. How do you know? -- cause on pay stub if they were garnished it would be there and how much.

So you have a money judgement-- if you have several (on one tenant) don't combine them-- if you make it to large a number THEY will do B/K. Then your sunk. Even if they go BK though-- don't throw away judgment. We just had one recent this week that was thrown off of BK protection so he's fair game again. Now he can't declare BK again for some years. Judgement in hand. Next don't rush right out looking for these people-- you have time so wait and let them forget you and that you're trying to find them.

Take your garnishment to the court where the employers registered agent is located (found on your SEc of State WEB site) or banks registered agent is located. for this lets just do employer's agent. If you don't know who their employer is or if they have a bank account-- file a POST judgement interrogatories in the county where the tenant now lives. Gives you 5 questions they must answer for the court on your behalf-- where they work, cars owned, other assets.etc.. If they don't answer you file to compel answers-- if they don't answer contempt of court. Once you have garnishment and tenant info you file continuing garnishment which their employer must abide by OR THEY NOW OWE THE DEBT. (WE HAVE COLLECTED MANY TIMES FROM OWNERS WHO DIDN'T DO WHAT THE LAW SAID. They paid us THEIR employees money.

Rather than give step by step: here is a web site for one of our county's here in GA. Gwinnett County. Gwinnettcourts.com and look for the section on help with garnishments or magistrate court forms.. It's the guide we use.

Richard MI that gwinnett county site is pretty darn good for a beginner to use. It also has dispo instructions for newbies. Garnishment is pretty complete also. Everyone (ll's) should check their county court web site-- maybe there's others who do this?

You said you saw some of my comments On garnishment? 6 X 6 had questions also and I was holding off till the check cleared. We just sweep 22 banks/credit unions and had a hit. Debt was 6,000.00 and has been out there since 2011. The credit union that hit has already sent the check to the court. We're waiting on the call from them to come get it. We also just got a check from 2001 claim for 1200.00. Most PEOPLE DON'T KNOW-- THE court gets the money and it's up to you in some cases to CLAIM IT. It isn't automatic that it's sent to you.

We don't like the sweep because we think the judges-- when they see we swept 22 banks get a little hinky. We should feel they would rule against us-- but we all know when it comes to courts-- even when your black and white right-- YOUR WRONG!

Thank you Richard for asking this question. I am trying to find the current place of employment for a tenant I had a judgement on 8yrs ago. The lady at the court house told me I could get a subpoena and make her bring proof of income. I may try that.

Myob, Is a subpoena the same thing as Post Judgement Interrogatories? The lady at the court house told me I could get a subpoena and make her bring proof of income.

Yes we use interrogatories here in GA. You need to have the persons address to serve them. This then gives you the right to have them brought into court to answer your 5 or 6 questions. This isn't a fishing visit-- its so the judgment can move forward. This is why your 15% interest is important on the debt. Time must equal money. The longer they hide the more it could cost them.