All Forum Posts by: Lois Ginter

You could do a case search on the plaintiffs' name to see how many they have filed, and then go to the property tax records and search on that name to get the addresses.  It might not be complete, but it will give you an idea if there is a cluster of evictions.  

What I do is serve the tenant the 5 or 10 day notice, and then get my copy notarized.  My bank notarizes for free.  You must serve the tenant, or any occupant age 13 or older.  You can't leave the notice on the door.  After the waiting period, when you file the forcible detainer summons with the court, you will need to include your notarized copy and the lease with the request.  You or your attorney will need to hire the sheriff or process server to serve the summons.   Below is the portion of my notice that has my affidavit of service notarized.   

AFFIDAVIT OF SERVICE

I, Lois Ginter, being duly sworn on oath, deposes and says that on the 6TH day of October, 2016, I served the foregoing notice on the tenant(s) named herein: by delivering a copy of hereof to the tenant Dead Weight.

Signed: _____________________________

Subscribed and sworn to me this _____ day of ______________________.

________________________________________________________________________

Notary Public

Can you reach out to the caretaker's company and ask what the standard practice is for their other clients?  There must be others' in this situation.  

I was using two local FB groups.  In my area, the people looking for housing on FB tend to be the more desperate type.  Lots of requests to "work with deposit",  and need to move right away.  If they do have the move in money, they usually have some other issue that disqualifies them.   The few showings I did do from FB contacts, all of them lied about either employment or rental history.  

 I know right.....I have one like that now.  Sheriff will be escorting her out next week.

 I have the same clause.  

What does your lease say about curing mold problems, ie who caused and who is responsible for curing?  A 10 day notice may not work if the tenant is not responsible.  I have a clause in my lease for mold, insects, and vermin that is not discovered withing 48 hours of possession is the tenant's responsibility to cure.  Mold does not occur overnight, it is usually due to an unreported issue which you can't fix if you aren't told. 

In Illinois, in no circumstances, is it in your favor to accept partial rent payments.  If you read and understand the 5 day notice, partial payments throw a wrench in the eviction process.  You are better off refusing partial payments, serving the 5 day notice, and then going forward with forcible detainer summons.  Got burnt more than once doing installment payments........it only gave the tenant more days of free rent. 

Since I live next door to her, I can see if she is taking steps to vacate.  Just saw her tonight bringing in more stuff to her apartment!   My heart says not to let a person slide into a perilous situation.  On the other hand, she has had 3 months of free rent at my expense...grrrr, and 3 months prior to me filing of cajoling to get her to move.   I'm just going sit tight and let the process take its course.   

 I'm a bit careful with this process, as tenants learn that the landlord will take over, and then discontinue utilities.  I will check with my utility if I can start in the tenant's name.  In the past when I discussed account transfers for a property they wouldn't even confirm my tenants' name.  

Thanks everybody.  Good points about her ability to say I am threatening.  She claimed I was threatening her when I said I was moving forward with the eviction.   

I have already planned to have the locks changed after the Sheriff is done.  

I have movers scheduled at the same time the Sheriff is coming.  They only need to bag her items and take them to the curb.  I am fine leaving her items on the curb for the trash collectors.  Things are a bit behind the times here in that regard, I have seen entire rooms of furniture collected.  Where I used to live, trash collection for certain items was only once a month, or you had to pay for a disposal sticker.