Tenant renters insurance: can I file a claim for damages if tenant does damage?

[Douglas B.]

If a tenant does damage to my unit but can't or won't pay for the repairs, can I document the damage and file a claim against his renters insurance?

[Michele Fischer]

This assumes they have renters insurance. If you are renting in the low income niche, I guarantee that they cannot afford renters insurance and will not get it even if you require it in the rental agreement. I have a clause in my rental agreement that we recommend it and that we are in no way responsible for their belongings, but half of our tenants don't even have bank accounts. Having never lived hand to mouth, the crash course in the realities of low income still leaves me scratching my head. As far as getting a judgement, over the years we have accumulated 9 prior tenants who owe us an average of $1,000 each, and we cannot find them to serve them papers to get a judgement. *POOF*, gone. We do a lot of the grunt work ourselves so we aren't out all that in cash and we are still cash flowing fine. We turn the deadbeats into collections to warn the future landlords, not in any expectation of getting paid. It is a cost of doing business in the low income market. Great screening is key, but reducing turnover is even more important - look for applicants who demonstrate that they can stay at addresses for years.