Professional Tenants from Hell- Animal Hoarders

[Jan Falk]

I have been doing this for a long time and these are the worst. Animals hoarders (two with three kids), have done same thing three times in five years, should be a support group for landlords, lawyers, psychiatrists... My city has evicted them twice but will not help me at all (they don't like me), in fact they are oppositional and even though they have a pending case against these people for dog citations over $1000, they have stood in my way in every juncture. (animal control wanted to testify, they wont let them) they refused to term it animal hoarding because the unskilled, untrained, incompetant code enforcement worker has befriended crazy lady and actually goes there to hang out with her. She is charismatic that is part of the pathology, she fits every clinical criteria for animal hoarding and will DO ANYTHING to keep the five dogs, always black labs. I have talked to animal rescue who has turned her into CPS...City will not return my calls except for landlord tenant, who is actually very helpful. Went to court yesterday on nonpayment of rent, they had a lawyer!! (aren't supposed to have any money, they have like 28 outstanding warrants in debt and are driving on revoked licenses). I have pictures, it is awful, neighbors have complained. It is a zoning violation...They are good at this, did I mention that this guy is a GS15 at Homeland Security? I called his supervisor (after I talked to my local legislator who suggested), they have money. Yesterday at the trial, was sitting behind them and you could smell them, dirty, disgusting. They got a court date for a week from now (wanted a month). Am told by the city worker, who seems pleased, that they are "digging in". Why is this just my problem, they are a blight in the city, having done this three times.

[Patrick L.]

I think the biggest lesson here is that proper screening can prevent most bad tenants. You talk about all of their warrants and past evictions, did you screen these tenants at all or did you just rent to the first person that showed up with money?