Tenant paying partial rent and other questions.

[Jay P.]

Hi All,

State of IL

My tenant paid just over half of the rent for the month of Feb.

He has come out with various excuses about how he had mold testing done in the home etc (all bogus claims of mold) and that is why he doesn't want to pay the full amount.

He was served a 10 day notice to cure all the problems (no rent and other items that he changed without permissions and partially bills to the city for water. He pays just enough to keep the water running.

1. Can he claim that if he pays just over 50% of the rent - can he use this to stay in the property?

2. Can he claim health reasons to stop eviction?

3. If he keeps missing court dates can a judgment be made without him preset in court for eviction?

He has a lease agreement and this is not month to month

Thank you 

[Vincent Incopero]

Change your bank accounts, shut it down, never accept direct deposits.  You always want to have the ability to not take the rent so as to prevent the cure.  The convenience to you of not chasing your money cuts against you when you want to boot someone for non-payment and you dont have a better nail (some other lease breach) to hang them from.