Teen Tenant Died After Lease Terminated During Overstay

[Heather O.]

In Florida, Teen killed in motorcycle accident  ( highly suspect that his plan to claim on insurance went awry and strong prescription painkillers involved).

Single person occupancy and he was the only person on lease.

He was in the midst of moving out, but left behind starving animals, drug paraphernalia, junk.

Now multiple strangers are driving around and selling off his 6 vehicles and have been staying in the house after his death.  Those people are claiming his belongings as their own and their stories do not add up at all.  I am not interested in being a party to their unlawful behaviour.

He already had a large payout on a previous insurance claim that he had run out of and told me that he "had a plan". He was showing the house to potential replacement tenants earlier on the day is was killed. 

Our attorney advised, but I am very interested in your opinion and experiences here.  THANK YOU.

[Jim K.]

@Heather O.

This is where self-managed DIY landlords shine and any property manager except a well-paid and highly-competent team can lose you serious money. This WILL cost you money, but handled correctly it won't hurt you badly.

First of all, read up on your local laws and make sure you know your rights in this situation. Reach out to your real estate lawyer, and if you don't have a trusted guy, find one quickly.

Reach out to the next of kin if you can. See if you can get their authorization to go over there (you may not even need it but it's good to call and ask), give the shady characters a firm deadline to get out, and lock down the place with changed locks and an alarm system when the deadline passes. Take large male companionship with you if you can. The animals come with you and either go to the pound or you find homes for them yourself. Anybody gives you an argument your large male companion intervenes while you call the police immediately and tell them about your concerns (in the USA, your LMC would be carrying pepper spray and a gun to help settle possible issues like these).

Work closely with next of kin and lawyer to figure out when the junk can go. When the time comes, dispose of the stuff, either through a local trash pickup or a dump run with your utility trailer.

The main thing is to assert your possession of the house as quickly as possible and come through for the next of kin. No one starts off as a drug addict. The faster you get through this phase the faster you can put the place on the market again, and it's the 13th of October. It's going to take a good long time to rent out the place again.

This forum is filled with people who have been in similar situations. Keep asking for advice if anything goes funny. I know this is is never part of the guru seminars about how landlording can assure your financial freedom, but this is how our world works when you're dealing with people like this. I used to believe it just happened to us because we're C/D-class urban landlords...no, it happens to everyone.