New landlord, problems already, need help!

[Tatyana E.]

Hi guys, I’m new here and I hope so much you'll be able to help me.

I got a rental house recently (paid $180K) and hired a property manager, let’s name her K., to manage it. K. runs a small property management company with only one employee – herself. It was a “hand shake” deal, no papers were signed but I have a bunch of e-mails where we discussed our deal. Fees for finding the tenants were supposed to be $400 and monthly property management fee was $85 and I was supposed to get rent from K. on 10-12th each month directly to my bank account.

K. didn’t do a good job in marketing the house but probably it doesn’t matter at this point. She found potential customers – boyfriend and girlfriend and their 2 children moving in together from different households.

We asked $1700 in rent for the house and they met 3 times rent income requirement. Both had poor credit though, with no mortgages/houses ever, he had child support issues and she had a few small bills like smud bill unpaid. Also, there was problem with ex-landlords telephone numbers –they didn’t want to give them out to Ann, then they gave fake/non-working numbers. But supposedly finally they gave “right” numbers and K. verified them and was satisfied with the info.

When it came to moving into the house they couldn’t come up with the money... and K. took $600 non-refundable deposit to hold the house for them. I was not happy with all this at all and I e-mailed K. and let her know I do not think taking deposit was a good idea and that we should rent the house out to the couple – simply because they don’t have the money and they don’t have any source to get the money should they need it. In my opinion they were “screaming” potential problems.

Next thing I learn is K. rented the house to the couple. Several times I asked her to mail/e-mail me the lease agreement and K. says sure and “keeps forgetting” it.

Now it’s mid October and no rent and obviously it’s not coming I have hard time getting hold of K. And when I talked to K. last it was something like they told her they mailed the check, then they "forgot" and would mail it tomorrow and then again tomorrow etc. Since I live 3 minutes away from the house I suggested a few times just to go and get the check, and after that K. told me she would contact tenants and… disappeared.

What I have now is Grand Deed for the house and a bunch of e-mails somehow confirming that K. was (is?) managing it. I do not have tenants names or lease agreement and I’m obviously failing to get it from K. Looks like I can’t even post 3-days late rent notice because I don’t know their names.

My co-workers provided me with landlord attorney’s telephone number but he charges $200 for just consultation and then $700+ for eviction. Shall I go to attorney and pay or shall I try to talk to tenants (I don’t have their numbers but I can go to the house… in hope that they will open the door and talk to me).

Anyway, I would very much appreciate if you could advice what shall I do and thank you so very much in advance!