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Updated almost 6 years ago, 01/17/2019
will insurance possibly cover this nightmare? or help a little?
I purchased the property in august 2019, home inspection was good and pretty much everything wrong with the building(multifamily) was taken care of and fixed by licensed contractors before closing as part of the deal.
I just evicted a tenant for non payment of rent, who decided to move out right before he was served by the sheriff, he changed the locks to make sure I couldnt get in, stopped paying rent, then I started hearing sawing, hammering and power tools and oh boy.. he removed walls, railings and insulation from the barn attic storage area he had that's attached to the apartment, he apparently replaced the bathtub surround and put a new one on but didn't seal it to the tub... and continued to take showers, I just had new tenants move into the apartment below this trouble apartment and there is now wet ceiling in there kitchen right under this said bathtub...this was not damaged or wet when I showed them the apartment which was the week he was moving, I heard him just running water for a couple hours one day, Im sure he did this intentionally to cause damage. It's a 119 year old building It's easy to hear things.
he also painted over wall paper and now its falling off in huge strips, he put holes in the drywall, he dumped grape juice or wine on the carpets and they are ruined. He left several thousand pounds worth of junk that ive been removing.
none of these things were an issue when I purchased the property, none of these things were an issue when I had the home inspection done, none of these things were an issue when I did my first or last walk through before the sale
He was late with rent ever since I inherited him but always ended up paying so I could not evict him, Ive been trying to find a way to get him out, then I noticed he was having people over even when he wasnt home, using his apartment for showers and laundry, multiple people, all the time, different vehicles. I confronted him and gave him notices he then stopped paying rent and I started the eviction process, he decided to leave right before I had the sheriff serve him, but it was about a 3 week process from the first notice to him texting me saying "the keys in the door" and "TY have a GREAT day :)"
My attorney said it probably wouldn't be worth bringing him to court. Maybe insurance will help? maybe I should get a new lawyer? what say you bp? I'm hemorrhaging time and money