All Forum Posts by: Ian Lord

Thanks @Seth M. How did you go about submitting the paperwork to the court? Do I have to deliver the forms in person to the clerk or is it possible to mail/email/fax?  I've also been generally unimpressed with the attorney I hired to write my lease, there were so many things I had to add in myself and I still found a bunch of things in @Elizabeth Colegrove's book that I'm hitting myself in the head for now. 

My lease contains a no smoking/vaping on the entire lot. I have neighbors who smoke. Even though they don't smoke in the house the smell still comes in on clothes or drifts in from the porch.

Thanks everyone. 

VA Code says in part:

 55-248.34:1. Landlord's acceptance of rent with reservation.

A. Provided the landlord has given written notice to the tenant that the rent will be accepted with reservation, the landlord may accept full or partial payment of all rent and receive an order of possession from a court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to an unlawful detainer action filed under Article 13 (§ 8.01-124 et seq.) of Chapter 3 of Title 8.01 and proceed with eviction under § 55-248.38:2. 

Generally speaking VA seems to be a very pro-landlord state compared to other places such as my home state of California.

Virginia allows the landlord to accept rent with reservation and continue eviction proceedings.

So it appears I may have to go through with evicting a tenant in a Norfolk, VA property. I'm guessing that I wouldn't be able to get them out until late December, and it might take a while to get a new tenant in at that time of year. I was in the property a week ago and didn't see any significant reasons to make a deduction from the security deposit. Can I go after the tenant for lost rent from the time they stopped paying until a new tenant is in the property, and if so how does that process work?

Thanks, I just got a response saying her payday isn't until the 18th. Claimed vague issues about health concerns. Honestly the tenant has been a pain in my butt since day one. They killed an apple tree in the first few months. They have accused me of endangering their child because of a poorly functioning AC unit, the cause of which was from them failing to change the filters for 45 days. The tenant has only paid on time or early four times in the last 14 months. I think I made a mistake in tenant screening, but can get better quality tenants in the property. I've found a process server who will deliver a P or Q tomorrow for $75. 

My tenant has only paid half of the rent. Per my lease rent is due on the 1st, late on the 6th. They pay by direct bank transfer. I'm pretty sure I can proceed with sending a pay or quit notice and assess the late fee of 10% of the rent, but just need a stupid check. The property is in Virginia, and I live five hours away. 

In my last career I was Staff Sergeant Lord, had lots of fun with that one. Especially when I flew with a pilot named Gott (God in German). 

Alas, my middle name is Griffin. 

Good morning Roanoke area investors!

I'm in the processing of refinancing my primary residence, and was wondering if anyone could recommend any closers. I'm waiting for a quote from the company my agent suggested we used when I bought the house, but am curious is anyone has had some other good experiences locally. Thanks!

I guess I'm still trying to find the balance between educating and being condescending.  I would have expected that people in their 30's who pay their own water bill would recognize a running toilet, especially in a small home where the bathroom shares the wall with the master bedroom.

On the plus side, these tenants have given me plenty of opportunities to practice being firm and "the bad guy" with low consequence problems.