Professional Scumbag in Training

[Michael Rossi]

I was fortunate not to have an eviction last month. However, I've got one this month and she's definitely in training to be a professional scumbag. This tenant moved in at the beginning of July and obviously only paid one month's rent (and the deposit). This is EXACTLY the reason that you must ALWAYS get the first month's rent and security deposit IN FULL AND IN CASH - which I did.

My lease says the rent is due on the 1st and late at 5pm on the 4th. The 20 year old tenant called me on the 3rd and said she would have the rent that afternoon. I told her to give me a call when she had it and I would pick it up. I didn't hear from her anymore on the 3rd. On the morning of the 4th, I saw the tenant when I was at the building collecting rent from other tenants. She said that she had most of the rent that she could give me, and that she would have the rest later in the day. I told her that I don't accept partial rent and to give me a call when she had ALL the rent. This is a favorite trick of scumbags (and scumbags in training) to get the landlord to accept partial rent, which will prevent the landlord from evicting the tenant that month (in many areas, including mine). Needless to say, I wasn't falling for that! Once again, I didn't hear from the tenant again on the fourth and her rent officially became late at 5pm on that day.

The tenant called me about 7pm that evening (the 4th) and said that the ATM wouldn't allow her to withdrawal all her rent at once and she would have it in the morning. This is another favorite excuse used by scumbags (and scumbags in training) and is a delaying tactic and a way to test the gullability of the landlord. I told her that was fine! She was welcome to call me in the morning when she had ALL the money, INCLUDING THE $50 LATE FEE! I also told her that I would be posting a 3-Day Eviction Notice on her door the next morning (the 5th). On the morning of the 5th, I did post an eviction notice on her door.

I was at the building the next day to pick up some stuff at the storeroom and saw the tenant. She said that her mother went to pick up the rent and that she would call me as soon as her mother returned. At this point, I knew that she was a liar and I'm 99% sure that she was being evicted. I told her "no problem", just give me a call when you have ALL the money, including the late fee, and that the eviction process had already begun.

Needless to say, I didn't hear from her on the 5th and didn't receive the rent.

I saw the tenant again yesterday when I was at the building. I said to her "I must have missed your call yesterday - do you have the rent?" At this point, I was just having a little fun with her - I knew that she didn't have the rent but I was just making it clear to her that I knew she was a liar and a scumbag! She now knew that I knew the game she was playing and the other tenants sitting on the porch also knew what was going on (they've seen me evict other tenants). She said that she didn't have the rent and that she would be moving, but she couldn't possibly move in 3 days (again, testing me for gullability). I responded that she didn't have 3 days - she had one day - THAT DAY! I explained to her that I would be taking the eviction paperwork to the lawyer on the 7th and that I wouldn't accept any rent after I had done so, nor would I stop the eviction at that point.

I briefly stopped by the apartment building today (the 7th) to pick up a gas can, as I was going to mow grass at one of my rentals. The tenant was sitting there on the porch. She asked how long she had to move and I responded 3 MINUTES! I explained to her that I was on my way to the lawyer's office next and that it would be too late to move and avoid an eviction at that point. In one last moment of scumbag training, she said that her brother was on the way with his truck to move her and that he would arrive in about 2 hours. She assured me that she was moving TODAY! Never missing an opportunity to have a little fun with the scumbags, I called her bluff. I said, "that's great, you'll be able to avoid getting an eviction on your record"! I told her that I would cancel my trip to the lawyer and would help her carry her stuff outside immediately so that it would all be downstairs when her brother arrived with the truck!!! I said, let's go get started!!! LOL! Of course, she didn't want to do that. She said "I don't have anything packed". I responded, "I'll help you pack". She said, "I don't have anyplace to put my stuff". I responded "...but you'll have someplace in 2 hours when your brother gets here?" At that point, the game was up and she was exposed for the lying scumbag (in training) that she is. I left and went straight to the lawyer's office to give him the eviction paperwork! The hearing should be in a couple of weeks and the setout about a week later. She will have an eviction on her record and I've already posted details about the scumbag on our local REIA database, so that no-one else will rent to this scumbag either!

Game, set, match!

Mike