I Hate Dirt Bag Tenants: Scam Alert This Happened to a Friend of Ours

[Bob E.]

I wanted to alert the BP community to something that is going on in Arizona and is a scam by tenants looking to break their lease.

Our friend rented a house to someone that was a little odd and a bit of a allergy freak.  After moving in he claimed his wife had to live in the backyard in a tent due to allergies in the house.  Our rental market is strong and our friend told the renter that he would let him out of the lease (guy was a major PITA) but the tenant would be responsible for damages of lost rent and turnover fees.  He then listed the house for rent and a week latter the tenant calls and says they want to stay so our friend cancels the listing (this was early April)

Here is where the scam part comes in,  a few weeks latter the tenant sends our friend a letter with over 300 "problems" with the house.  Legally a landlord has 5-10 days to respond to the letter, from the date it is mailed.  The idea here is to overwhelm the landlord with complaints so you can't meet the response deadline and then claim you are a deadbeat landlord and sue you for damages.

Now to make things interesting it turns out that the renter bought a house a few streets over before filing his list of complaints.   This could go to court or not but the lawyer did have some good advise on these things.  

Most tenants pulling this scam will, try to use the 48 hour access period to push you outside your requirement for a 5 day response, according to my understanding of  the lawyers advise, here in Arizona the tenant letter listing the problems grants you that access.

Who else has had a tenant try to sleaze their way out of a lease?  I Would like to hear what other tenants have tried.

Disclamer, I am not a lawyer, this is not legal advice.

[David Wurzel]

@BOB E.

It certainly sounds counter intuitive that they would want to stay with so many "issues".  A quick call to your R.E. attorney followed up by a leave now and I won't press charges, counter sue, then get a judgment against you that will be attached to your new home might work?!?!