Biggest Scare To-date That I have had as a landlord - any suggestions?

[Aaron Yates]

So I have been having problems with a tenant paying on time. She always pays at the end of the month instead of the beginning. Obviously I charge a late fee for this.

Last week after picking up October's rent I found out she lost her job and won't have any rent towards November per our agreement. The agreement we set up was that starting in November I will split her rent payment to try and help her.

So half of the rent due on the first and the other half on the 15th. I explained that this is the last thing I can try and help her with. I had already waived the cleaning fee ($200 pet fee) and didn't charge her the $25/month pet fee because she was relocating from out west back to Michigan and money was going to be tight due to the move.

She always took care of the property for the 5 months she was there. I did catch her boyfriend living their and he was not on the lease and I even over looked it.

So when I found out she lost her job I told her we needed to talk and figure out a resolution. This would be easier if I actually could speak with her. You see, she only texts. She doesn't answer the phone or return my phone calls usually. When I pick up rent she always leaves it in the house and leaves before I get there.

I thought this was really strange but once I found out she had someone living their I realized what she was doing.

So I gave her two options once she decided she would just make it easy and move out. I said ok but she wouldn't set time aside to meet with me to discuss everything.

The options I gave her was to give her some time to find a place and I will take rent out of the $800 security deposit. Or if she moves out before the 1st of the month and cleans the house so it's move in ready, I will refund her full deposit. Now where I know I messed up is that I also reminded her if she won't do either of these then I will have to file for eviction.

She chose moving out by the 1st of November so she could get her full deposit. Then when I met with her today to do the move-out inspection she was screaming and yelling at me about it. It all became my fault.

The carpet was filthy and was just put in brand new 5 months ago. The house smells like dog urine because apparently this last week she decided to just let the dog pee in the house, mainly in the front bedroom and laundry room. Luckily these areas are ceramic tile and newly refinished hardwood so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it's only on the surface.

I asked her why she was so upset with me and she said because I forced her to leave in a week! I told her I was keeping a part of the security deposit for cleaning and this is when things changed.

You see, she brought a friend with her that was truly unnecessary. He was about 6'4" maybe 280lbs and was defending her. He was calm unlike her. But the impression I got was either pay her or else...

By the end of the situation he got to hear all the things I have helped her out with and was still backing her. She tried saying that the carpet was dirty when she moved in. She claims she had to make repairs.

The thing is, except for the appliances everything was brand new and the floors refinished when she moved into that house. I have pics, I have the move in report. But he kept repeating what she was saying about the carpet being dirty already.

I asked her why didn't she call me and what repairs did she do?? I knew there were none but I was curious of her response. She said she had to replace the toilet handle chain...

In the end, thanks to her friends impression and me only being 5'8", being alone, and not versed in any type of fighting techniques, I swallowed my tongue and paid the $800 to get them out of the house.

This brings me to my question. How do you handle things like this? From now on whether its an agreed departure or not, I will be calling upon some of my big associates to go with me.

I never imagined this situation with this tenant because she has never had any aggression towards me the times we did talk on the phone or see each other face-to-face.

The other thing that scares the hell out of me is that I ALMOST took my 4 year old son with me because he wanted to go so bad and I decided not to because it would be faster without him plus I had a showing schedule 30 minutes after the move-out inspection.

I look forward to your replies. Thank you.