Trip to Eviction Court Today

[Bill S.]

So if you haven't ever done this, make a trip to you local eviction court. I was in the area this morning and decided to stop by and watch a few cases. It was educational. I saw two cases and below is a summary of what I took away.

1) landlord actually got a writ and gave it to the sheriff but agreed to delay the sheriff so tenant could move out. Tenant moved and left keys but it voided the monetary judgement they had and the judge made them file a new claim for the damages they had already been awarded. Had they done the setout, they would have had their judgement. No good deed goes unpunished.

2) two sisters in court, one was wanting to evict the other because the tenant sister failed to pay rent on time. Tenants sister's husband was out of work because of cancer and they expected some leeway on rent because illness. There was other drama and back and forth. Tenant sister called the cops when LL sister spit in tenant sisters face after tenant sister threatened LL sister due LL sister moving personal belongings (card board boxes) stored next water heater. I must say I don't think they will be having Turkey day diner together. Very good reason not to rent to friends and family.

Worth the trip to court just to watch the court process.

Reminds me to screen carefully and then screen some more and then some more.

[Ned Carey]

Yes rent court can be fun. It is not always the tenants that say and do stupid things. 

I remember a land lord that bought a property and sent the tenant a new lease with a higher rent. The tenant never signed the new lease. The judge had the hardest time getting the landlord to understand he can't evict for the higher rent, if the tenant hasn't signed a lease for  the higher amount.