Finding the current address of a previous tenant?

[Akshay Vig]

Hey all,

Anyway to find the current address of an evicted tenant without resorting to collections agencies? They owe me several months worth of back rent and even fooled the court during the hearing by providing the address of my property where they were previously living. I want to avoid handing the case over to collections due to the high fees and cut they would be taking upon receiving the funds. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[Jeff Copeland]

A skip tracer and/or private investigator handles these types of requests. 

Though I'm curious what you intend to do with the address if you're not referring them to collections. 

A word of warning about trying to collect your own debts: You become a debt collector yourself and you are subject to consumer debt collection practices laws in most states (and I believe there is a corresponding federal law). 

I was sued once because a tenant invited me (in writing, via text) to her workplace (citing transportation issues) to pick up a rent check. She didn't even have the rent check, and she then sued me for unfair debt collection practices for coming to her workplace! 

The case was completely frivolous and went nowhere (in fact, my E&O insurance carrier countersued the tenant for the legal fees and she ended up with a new collection on her record).

But it still cost me $10,000 (my E&O deductible) in legal fees, and probably a hundred hours of wasted time.