Seeking Advice on Tenant's Unpaid Increased Security Deposit

[Amir P.]

Hello everyone,

I hope you are doing well. I have a situation with one of my tenants that I would appreciate some advice on. Here's a brief overview:

I own a triplex, and one of the tenants is an elderly lady who tends to be quite grumpy and complains frequently. Despite this, I have invested in various improvements to enhance her living conditions. When I purchased the property, I inherited her as a tenant and decided to keep her while stabilizing the asset.

About a year ago, I had her sign a new lease and increased her rent accordingly. Recently, I offered to raise her rent once again, and she agreed and signed a new lease. The new lease requires her to provide a check for an increased security deposit matching the new rent at the time of signing. However, she has not paid this deposit yet.

I have diligently followed up with her via calls and text messages every couple of weeks over the past 60 days, but she has been ignoring my attempts to communicate. Since the full security deposit hasn't been paid, I have not finalized the new lease.

My intention is to have a tenant who pays the rent and fulfills the security deposit requirement. While I would ideally prefer to find a new tenant, for now, I have decided to keep her as long as she meets these conditions.

Given the circumstances, I would greatly appreciate any advice on how to handle this situation. Can I proceed with eviction if she fails to pay the increased security deposit? What other options or steps can I take to address this matter appropriately?

Thank you in advance for your guidance and suggestions.