Tenant moved out but left car behind

[Vikas Ahuja]

Hi folks, I am looking for some advise -

I inherited my tenants when I bought a triplex last spring. One of the tenants had been living there for 5 years and the old lease (which I got from previous owner) had her and another person listed as the tenants. Sometime around or right after I bought the property, this second person (her ex-boyfriend) moved out but I was not notified of it. 

Now, couple of months ago, I had to file the summary process form for non-payment of rent and got the judgement in my favor by default. The tenant moved out before I had to execute the judgement but later I found an abandoned car on the driveway which belongs to her ex-boyfriend. I don't have any way of contacting her ex-boyfriend and this ex-tenant is not very co-operative. 

Any advise on what I can do with this car? One option would be to execute the eviction but I'd like to avoid the extra costs that'll come with it. I now also have new tenants in the apartment. If it helps, the property is in MA.

TIA, Vicky

[Michaela G.]

Contact a bonded towing company in your area and tell them the details of that car. If it's not a completely worthless, old clunker, they will take care of it.

They will tow it on their dime into their bonded area. Then they will go through the legal steps of contacting the owner and give them the right to pick it up and pay the towing/storage fees. 

If that person doesn't come within a certain amount of time, they will auction it off.

The company has to be bonded and have a bonded yard.