Finding my evicted tenants

[Minna Reid]

I evicted my tenants and got my place back today. They owe me some money. I need to send them their deposit statement, and sue them in small claims, but I dont know where they went. Somehow they forgot to leave me a forwarding address - imagine that. What's the easiest way to find them?

[Michael Rossi]

Minna,

If they don't have good jobs, then I would simply forget the whole thing. Write up their deposit letter and put it in their file (since you don't have a forwarding address). Even if you find them, it is nearly impossible to collect from deadbeats.

If they have good jobs that they've had for a long time, call them at work. If you can't get them on the phone, talk to their boss. That is usually an effective technique to get them to call you (or get them fired). If they have a good job, you can have them served at work and garnish their wages. However, a lot of deadbeats will simply quit their job if you garnish their wages.

I usually just move on.

Mike