Repair damages before filing for eviction

[Roy Lam]

I have a tenant who has been living in this single house for 7 years.  During these years, he was always pay rent late and refused to pay late fee.  This month, he has not pay and did not even the reason.  Back in march, 2023  I filed an eviction against him.  the biggest mistake was i didn't hire an attorney.  I met a processor server and he said it would be a simple eviction.  At the trial, the tenant claimed the house was inhabitable due to damages thru out the house.  but those were damages which hedid and sometimes he miight ask me to fix.  Other damages I  didn't even know about.  So at the trial, the judge asked me if I did any of those repairs.  But I told her thetenant caused all the damages and he refuses  to pay for the materials.  Needless to say, I lost.  The judge deducted  5% of the rent for each items , total five. A month later,  I went back to the court, I told the judge I fixed everything but the wall furnace.  I bought the wrong part and I did not know where to order it.  Even the tenant say it's ok not repaor it  since this summer mow.  Plus we did other repairs in adition of what was needed.  Nope, one 5%left will still be deducted.  Now this is all over.  Seems to me that we hhave to go through this again.

He still hasn't paid July rent yet.  He called one time whilw I was in the doctors office.  My question is, off course I will get an attorney, is wether I should repair all the damages already in the house before I staet the eviction.  Or just do it now?

[Bruce Woodruff]

Quote from @Roy Lam:

Then some friends suggested I don't even need an attorney 

Of course they did ... 😂 They have no skin in the game, why would they care?