What do you do when your tenants don't pay the rent?

Question

my tenants wont pay the rent and i dont know what to do. they say they are going to pay the rent later. when later comes they say they dont have the money. how can i get them to leave. they have relationship problems and they are always fighting all the time and they have 2 daughters. the lady always at 2 or 3 in the morning invites her friends over outside our house on our steps to smoke and drink beer. they even bring their kids over (friends kids) and they are minors. what should i do?

Answer 1

First off, consider your risk. If the tenants leave, can you re-rent or cover the mortgage payment? If so, for how long.

If you can live without them there, call your local sherrif's office and start eviction proceedings.  Each locale is different in how this is done, but that's the likely place to start.

In regard to Minors in possession of alcohol, you really have just one choice - call the police.

For future tenants, you might want to consider offering a small discount when rent is paid on time or early.  People will go to great lengths to pay on time if they know it will save them money.

Answer 2

It depends on the state laws where you live.Here in Florida you have to go to the courthouse and file for a three day eviction.Then you post it ,and you have to give three buisness days.Then you have to have to file for a five day eviction and post that.After five buisness days you call the sherrif's department and they serve a removal notice and make them vacate the premisis.The catch to all of this is that at any point you take money from them it starts all over again.If you just want the rent a three day will usually get you that.If you want them out you have to do the whole process.I would suggest contacting the states attorney's office in your area and asking them.

Answer 3

Tenant giving a little drama each month, eh? Give her some back!

State and local laws govern your situation. Google your state + "tenant landlord law" and you'll find the rules and process for evicting your tenant.

There are other ways to encourage them to pay on time. One is to start showing the place to other prospects. (They don't have to be real prospects--just hire some guys from in front of Home Depot and tell them to ask a lot of questions about the place and when they can move in.)

You can show up at the door on the day rent is late. Bring the Home Depot guy, too. Ask for the rent, and she'll give you a song and dance. Tell her, "well, since you don't have the rent, I think I'll just show the apartment to this gentleman. He's looking for a place and his current landlord says he always pays on time."

Watch her reaction. It will be worth the $25 you pay the guy.

Answer 4

Don't wait.  Go to the courthouse and file eviction paperwork.  It takes a while to get them out so I'd do it now.  Then, you take them to small claims court to get a judgement for the rent they didn't pay.

Answer 5

Do what Jennifer S said. I'm a landlord and it does take a while to get people out.

Answer 6

Being a landlord is not for wimps ... Go to Google and find your state's "Landlord Tenant LAWS" ... and see what they say you have to do to evict someone.  Then just do it.

You will have to give them a legal notice of late rent ... and if they don't pay the rent due within the legal time, you have to file for eviction with the court.  

If they refuse to leave after the legal eviction, you have to go BACK to court and get the sheriff to help you. (I have only had to do this once)

Do NOT accept a partial rent payment: that usually resets the clock and you have to start all over with the notices.

Answer 7

give them a deadline, and check with your local laws for the eviction process.