I feel like the safe answer is to classify both as improvements on our taxes and depreciate  . . . but would you take the "risk" of having to defend against the IRS for classifying Company A costs ($5K) as repairs?

I have one in Cleveland right now that's in the same category, but it's the HOA leading the foreclosure at this point as a cross-defendent. 

A principal (plaintiff or defendant) can represent themselves. 

I wish that effing scumbag would try that on me, I'm not 67 yrs old, or fragile, and not able to defend myself.

I'm just trying to defend somebody who is not here to defend himself.You throw around a lot of stats about California real estate.

I can only defend my post, I don't understand a lot of Lances' figures.

Just keep careful watch on your property because it seems to me that this tenant will probably just leave unannounced, and you don't want an unsecured unit.The latest defense tactic that I have been seeing in Cook is lawyers who show up on behalf of a defendant in an eviction case demanding $500 from you along with an agreement to drop the money case with prejudice as well as give the tenant 2 months more to move.

People being cheap with the minimum policy and no umbrella policy   When sued, the company paid what they were legally required to pay, and the rest is on the defendant (you). 

I agree that you should have something on you to defend yourself.

The matriarch claimed she'd had some serious health complications and had been hospitalized due to the stress she was under from us making her move, they had talked to public defenders and social workers and we couldn't evict them...and on and on.