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Updated almost 5 years ago,
Newbie Landlord looking for options to get a problem tenant out
I have a few rental properties but I always inherited tenants and the ones I got have all worked out until I found this one and learnt a lot of lessons. This is in Fort Worth Texas. I have a half-duplex where I had to evict the tenants. Once I did, I listed the property and found a new tenant that I met and we signed the lease. I have the only copy. She gave me a sob story and asked not to run her credit and I believed her (mistake #1). She gave me a check for the deposit and first month's prorated rent (mistake #2, not asking for a cashiers check). I gave the tenant the house keys (mistake #3). As you can guess where this is going, the check then bounced and I got charged an extra fee. I contacted the tenant and got more stories. As a result, I did not send the tenant a copy of the lease. She was communicative and assured me she would pay as soon as her account was unfrozen by the bank and I believed her, hoping not to have to go through another eviction. Then, after about 10 days, I just asked her to either pay or move out since she hasnt paid a single cent to date. She replied saying she would move out on March 16th. I texted her again on March 15th and called and texted numerous times but no response. I went there last night and she was sitting by the front porch with no intention of ever moving out or paying. She knows the Tarrant county civil courts are closed due to COVID-19 so an eviction process is going to be a long drawn out process. I was hoping to see if there is another way to get her out of the house quicker or do I have to wait for courts to open and follow the regular eviction process? She has no paperwork other than text messages, bounced check and eviction notice I handed her yesterday. She has not made a single cent in payment and is living there practically for free.
I know I made a lot of mistakes in this whole transaction but what can I do now to get her out? Just wait for the courts to open in April and then file for eviction? Since there has been no money exchange and no lease exchanged, is there a shorter route I can take? Any help or advice is greatly appreciated.