Advice Needed! Tenant arrested for drug dealing

[Tammy Richards]

Argh... the life of a new landlady..

Served this inherited tenant a 30 day notice last month.  Lack of one legal clause necessary in Maine led me to serve another today, asking her to vacate in 30 days (she is a tenant at will).  THEN I read in the paper that she has been arrested, with her boyfriend, for distributing drugs.  The paper noted "An investigation into drug dealing from (tenants)  residence has occurred over the last six months, and tenant) allegedly would drive out-of-state distributors .... to purchase heroin and crack cocaine for resale..."

She's Section 8.  I am not sure what to do - I e-mailed a lawyer.  I have only a partial copy of her lease from prior landlord.  Not sure whether or not to call the police... 

Help!

[Mindy Jensen]

If she is section 8, I would call the section 8 office and see what the procedure is. She'll likely lose her section 8 voucher. 

Since you don't have a real lease with this woman, look up eviction laws and follow to the letter. Consider cash for keys if you feel she might trash the place. Clean it up and get good tenants in place.

Check out How to Screen Tenants. And How to Evict a Tenant.