You can go to court collections but it will take time.The last thing you do is get them to retaliate and destroy your place before leaving.

If the tenants destroy the property, then they could loose their benefit (at list that's what the Sec 8 office told me I never experienced it) Also Landlords are allowed to give surprised visit to applicant's current resident prior to approval and if the property is kept in bad shape or they don't allow you to enter and inspect, then you can decline the application.

But hey, that 30k property "rents' for 850 right... all about that cash flow.. until it's destroyed and you dump another 30k into it to fix it back up or dump it to a wholesaler for 10k who then sales it to someone who then sells it to out of state investor for 60k claiming 1200 in rent.

The current landlord started putting in carpet to reduce noise complaints.Of course carpet is expensive to replace and a lot of tenants destroy the carpet.In the past, I've always Costco laminate floors,  zero carpet, in all rentals.

Though I am not sure how to protect myself should the tenant choose to destroy the apartment, for example.

You may only charge for contracted expenses, rented equipment, material destroyed, items replaced and actual cleaning expenses.

I don’t know what she could be doing in there aside from actively destroying the place.

I have no reservations re: true service animal; its the pets who will destroy my asset that i fear.  

I do this because you cannot see the interior of most auction homes, but few are totally destroyed.

If "deadly fire" means that your collateral was destroyed, then your last recourse could be to a vacant piece of land or a property with a burned out shell on top of it.