Tenant issue with signed lease from prior owner

[Elisha Salgado]

My wife and I recently bought our first real estate investment property here in Pennsylvania at the end of June which is a multi-family home. The 1st floor tenants signed a new lease with the former owner in March 2021. The lease clearly states that the rent is due on the first of the month,no pets, and the  property must be kept clean, and that they are in charge of the lawn. The day we closed on the property i spoke to one of the tenants and informed her that the rent would need to be payed on the 1st of the month via Zelle. She then began to claim that the former owner let her pay her rent on the 8th of the month. I also informed her that per the rental lease agreement she and her roommate signed there are no dogs allowed. She then stated that the former owner gave her the ok via text letting her have the dog even though she signed a lease which clearly states no pets allowed. On July 6th i gave them a Notice of Lease Violation stating the the no pet policy, and the rent being paid on the 1st of the month not the 8th and that they had 15 days to remove the dog from the premises and rectify the payment of the rent on the 1st of the month. As of today July 11th they still have not paid the rent nor removed the dog. She stated today that she setup a hearing with the local Magistrate Judge. What should i do? I have a copy of the lease and proof she has a dog which is also vicious, and pictures of there garbage all over the front and rear porch of the property. 

[Will Fraser]

Hi @Elisha Salgado, I'm sorry to hear of this frustrating situation.  In the future you'll find the use of an estoppel agreement beneficial, as it moves these types of conversations to BEFORE closing when your options are less frustrating.

As for now, though, I would say that your best course of action is to prepare your file as thoroughly as possible and show up to give your side to the magistrate.  If they are bluffing, then you can go and initiate the eviction process and that will bring about its own hearing.

This WILL be a frustrating process no matter how you cut it, so juice this orange for all you can squeeze out of it by learning everything possible along the way.