Issues with back rent

[Ashish B.]

A couple (not married) have been renting from me for a few years. I had one of their dads cosign just in case, he had a good job and income. As of the 3rd year, they were always late in rent, and then they were 3 months behind. The co-signer dad turned out to be a dud because he himself has financial problems. The boyfriend left a few months before the lease was over. I looked into the law and it seems that they are both independently responsible for the rent. Everyone tells me that I should evict them, but I do not have it in me to evict her as she pays rent sooner or later.

At renewal time, I adjusted the security deposit to back rent, and they still owe me a few thousand. Then I created a new lease with just her on it and asked for the security deposit and 1st month's rent. She signed the lease, the dud dad cosigned it. I have not signed the lease until they give me the first month's rent and security deposit and she is living without a lease as of now because I have not signed it.

Meanwhile, her relative told me that I should go after the boyfriend for back rent, they do not understand that they are all independently responsible for the rent because they both signed it and I need to go after both of them. I have neither the time nor the energy to go after the boyfriend for a few thousand.

I provide excellent housing and services at below-market rent and currently, the rent is at least 500 lower than the market rate, I am also willing to write off the back rent and have done so for many tenants who genuinely cannot pay. I am tired, my stock for empathy has run out and I can no longer manage this tenant and this one property causes me more headaches than all my others combined. Eviction scares me more than it would scare a tenant, but do I have a choice?