tenants haven't paid rent in two months, what are my options

[Jonathan Vazquez]

hello BP family,

i just bought my 1st multi unit property in los angeles last july and currently have a young couple living in the back unit. the couple has not been able to pay april and may rent due to covid-19. i've been very open with them and have tried to promote open communication in regards to setting up a plan on getting the rent paid but all they say is "we can't pay rent right now" mind you they never gave me a letter stating this, or any other forewarning. i also noticed that they just bought a new suv and sports bike which has me scratching my head.

i know that at the moment landlords have their hands tied, but is there anything else i can do? i'm saving text messages/or the lack of but other than that not really sure what else i can do.

i'm considering talking to them this week and offering to forgive april, may, and june rent if they found somewhere else to live by the end of june.

thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!

- j

[Karen F.]

They're just taking advantage of the fact that the courts are closed.  Assuming that they are not illegal, they're getting more in unemployment than they used to earn, plus they got $2400 stimulus money.  You will never see a penny from them.  They will sit there, not paying rent, until you evict them.

Offer them cash tonight, to leave by the end of the weekend.  About a month's worth of rent would probably be enough to motivate them.  Pay them only after they have removed everything, and signed a paper saying that they give up all claim to the unit, and you've changed the locks with them outside.

After it's all over, I don't see why you couldn't sue them in small claims court for the two months of unpaid rent, assuming they have real jobs where you could garnish wages.

You're surely not the only landlord experiencing this.