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Abandoned Apartment? LL needs help.

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papashaq

Member
What is the name of your state? WI

Hi all, I'm new here but have been reading for hours...what an informative site.

Anyway's my question is: I have a tenant that I beleive has abandoned her apt. She called in July stating that she would like to get out of her lease because she was scared of her next door neighbor and the people they brought around. I said I will talk to her about it and give her a 5 day. She didn't want me to do/say anything in fear of retaliation. I told her that she would be responible for rent payments until I can rerent her apt if that's what she desires. She took a day and thought it over and said that she was goin to stay, then called back the next day saying she wanted out, and I told her the same thing. In the mean time I did set forth a 14 day evict notice to her neighbor for failure to pay rent...again (5day already given last month) I never heard anything from her again and assumed she was staying and not leaving.

Well the 14 was up on the neighbor and left accordingly, but as I was cleanin the neiighbors apt I happend to walk past her back door and noticed it wide open and and mostly moved out. I was fearfull of rodents or whatever being in the apt and went in to check out the situation. Almost everything moved out..fridge empty just mostly rubbish and odd stuff left behind...and electricity shut off (callec power company and confirmed). No beds or toiletries, anything for healthy living left in apt. I tried every way I knew to get in touch with this tenant, but can not. Number disconected, has new job...well doesn't work at the last one anyhow, emergency contact cannot be contacted. Not know how to get ahold of her I changed her lock hopiong she would return and have to call me to get in, then I can finally have contact with her....(I'm thinking now that that was a bad idea), but I was also fearfull that the neighbors I evicted had a key. I have not recieved any phone calls though and no rent for August. What do I do...do I have to leagally evict her or what are the rules for abandoning an apt? I could not find any in the WI statutes or laws of what actions I need to take. How do I get the lost rents out of her? Can I sue her boyfriend to that I beleive was living there with her ( I now have some mail with his name on it with this address? What do I do with her stuff...I am really at a loss here...her lease goes till Jan and hate to move her stuff and rerent if she still has rights to the apt. Thanks for any help in advance.
 


FarmerJ

Senior Member
Take pictures of the unit showing its condition, empty and some debris and even the inside of the fridge, Contact the electric co and ask them if they can send you written confirmation letter of the date she had lights shut off. Not sure if you should send notice to her last known address declaring the unit abandoned or not. Does WI statutes for LL/T define abandoned units ? It really sounds like a good bet she will not come back, but it may well be worth a consult fee just to use the links up top to get the best possible opinion.
 

papashaq

Member
I searched everywhere I know to in the WI statutes and laws and I could not find anything that talks about abandoned units. I ended up finding her boyfriends contract with a cell company that listed his new phone number and the new phone number of another phone....I assume the tenants...so I am going to try to call her and see what's up.
 

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