Lessons learned from the eviction that didn't happen

[Vern M.]

so, this was my first eviction in dc. 

I get to the house with a copy of the keys and new locksets. The eviction crew met me at the house at 9am, as scheduled. While there, I saw the tenants moving bags and boxes out. Great, this should be easy. The Marshals arrive at 10am. Late but no biggie. I sign the writ and answer a few questions. "Are there dogs or pets?" No. "Are there guns or illegal activities in the house?" (Probably) no. "Is there a car in the parking spot?" .........huh?

"Okay. You have 10 minutes to get a tow truck here else the eviction is cancelled"

What?

"We can't can't even enter the premises until the tow is here. 8 minutes left"

Why?

"That designated parking spot is part of the premises, and it needs to be clear. 6 minutes left"

Look, a squirrel! 

"If you attempt to move the vehicle youselves, then we leave. And that is a rat, not a squirrel. 2 minutes left "

But that's not even their car?!

"I'm sorry sir, but it doesn't have to be. It just needs not to be there. Even if you had a tow truck on site, I would've been able to get in. Have a good day"

Note* since there were 2 moving vans with 25 'eviction specialists' early in the morning, EVERYBODY on both sides of the street were there getting a free lesson on how to postpone an eviction. So going forward, I will have a tow truck on site for all evictions.

Btw. Tenants went right back in the house with all of their stuff.

It's only Monday

[Arjav Parikh]

While I used to own properties in Jersey City, NJ, I had my share of tenants.  One of the seasoned tenants left her dog in the apartment and wasn't there when the eviction crew came.   I was asked if animal control from the city was scheduled to remove the dog from the apartment?  Huh ...  The crew left without evicting.  Later I learnt she had applied similar technique a few times in the neighborhood.

It took my property manager 2-3 months to schedule eviction crew and animal control to come out together.  This time around, no one was at the apartment and we were able to do an easy lock out that lasted for half hour.  She went to the court and received extension for financial hardship and went back in the apartment.  An orderly removal order that took my property manager additional month+.  

It was a great learning experience, now that I look in the back view mirror.