I'd write a check made out to both tenants for the deposit amount, unless your lease specifies how it is to be distributed. the drunk is the one threatening you damage not the other party.

Hard path: threaten to evict.

The daughter tried to threaten me with police because her idiot parents misread my email wrong to send the application to...then she tried to change her story when I explained things to her and her excuses with apologies made no sense.

Also, I am always against threatening something that you can't follow through with.Another option would be to do clandestine showings.

You don't want to be accused of retaliation for the complaint but basically this tenant relationship after threatening to sue is not going anywhere good so now or later you are going to want to get the tenants out of the place.

They'd probably threaten something and maybe take you to court but you'd probably have better chance of defeating those cliams. 

Not sure if I could do everything that I want to do in that time frame.Option 4:Knock on their door and threaten Option 2 and/or 3 and explain the importance of returning my calls and texts within 24 hours (a courtesy I give ALL my applicants and tenants).Interested in your thoughts and comments on the matter?  

Some tenants in the same income bracket will have a sob story and others will never ask for a favor.If this tenant has always come up with the rent, plus the late fees, every time you have threatened to evict - this is a budget priority problem.I heard it all as a manager.

You can do it in a non-threatening, but firm manner.I'm betting, from personally renting and owning in rural areas, that you would probably have no problem renting to someone else, because there are probably few rentals in the area - right?  

I'm sorry you bought a dump, but expecting a tenant to put up with a regular sewage problem that interrupts their lives, causes unsanitary conditions and stink, at minimum, then a sewage flooded basement, while continuing to threaten them with eviction, when they probably can't afford to move?