Thanks for the reply John! I could have followed this all the way through and got a judgment and that would easily show on this deadbeat?s credit profile. But spending the legal fees to complete the process, then have the deadbeat file BK and move in with his relatives in Southern Utah for God knows how long; was a risk I did not want to take. So we settled for him coughing up $5K and me moving on with my life. This guy is slippery as a “slime eel” and I was very lucky to not lose any “skin” to him. The next landlord will not be as “lucky” most likely.
Thanks
I just finished evicting a tenant. FINALY! The tenant is gone and I’ve received my monies for the eviction attorney, court cost, and damages. It was a nerve-wracking experience. Welcome to being a landlord. Because the eviction case # was transferred over to a civil case (same case #), which was settled out of court when the deadbeat paid up. The case was heard in a smaller annex of the county’s court system and IS NOT in the main court’s data files, as it was settled and dismissed without prejudice. It there a way to warn other landlord?s of these folk?s potential risk?
Posted by John Merchant on February 09, 2010 at 11:53:46:
Almost anything you could do now would be gratuitous and expose you to liability to that x-tenant.
But you could certainly truthfully tell anybody who might ask, such as a prospective new LL to whom that bad T might make application, what you had to do to collect.
If that occurs and you get a call from a new prospective LL, I’d just direct them to your court file so they can see for themselves what happened, and make no comments about T. That new LL will then get the picture loud and clear w/o subjecting you to suit by that x-T.
Legal Eviction Judgment would show - Posted by John Merchant
Posted by John Merchant on February 12, 2010 at 23:58:08:
This is a factor that a smart LL would play against the tough T, telling him in effect:
“Look, I’d rather be a nice guy and help you move out now, peacefully and w/o my having to file an eviction suit. I think this would be preferable for you too because this way there’d be nothing about this on your records. If I have to file an eviction suit your credit records will show that so anybody else looking at you would quickly see that and probably form a bad opinion of you w/o knowing any more…so how about handing me the keys and let’s help you get somewhere else now?”