junglee444
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TN
I am just a beginner in being a LL, but through my good graces and inexperience, I let one of my previous tenants get behind 2 months on rent. Well, ultimately, they vacated the premises without notifying me and left a huge mess. I did search the forums but couldn't find a similar issue.
Basically, I have all of the tenant's information (i.e. SS#, etc), and they were tenants from the previous property owner, so I don't know if a credit report was obtained. I don't have a forwarding address so have no way of contacting them. However, I did contact the tenant's boyfriend via his cell phone and he kept telling me that he would pay. But my last conversation with him about a week ago, he tells me that he doesn't think he should owe anything since there were roaches and an unfixed sink. That was the first time he mentioned any issues with the duplex, so he was basically trying to get out of paying.
They owe me about $2100 past due rent including cleaning/repair charges over the amount of their deposit. Since, I don't have the tenant's current contact information, how do I procede to try getting my money back? I understand that I can give this to a collection agency but they have no right collecting money without a judgement or proof of charges.
What steps do I need to take to resolve this problem? I don't know how to file a judgement or anything like that so I'll need "dumbed down" instructions on what to do.
Thanks in advance for any help.
I am just a beginner in being a LL, but through my good graces and inexperience, I let one of my previous tenants get behind 2 months on rent. Well, ultimately, they vacated the premises without notifying me and left a huge mess. I did search the forums but couldn't find a similar issue.
Basically, I have all of the tenant's information (i.e. SS#, etc), and they were tenants from the previous property owner, so I don't know if a credit report was obtained. I don't have a forwarding address so have no way of contacting them. However, I did contact the tenant's boyfriend via his cell phone and he kept telling me that he would pay. But my last conversation with him about a week ago, he tells me that he doesn't think he should owe anything since there were roaches and an unfixed sink. That was the first time he mentioned any issues with the duplex, so he was basically trying to get out of paying.
They owe me about $2100 past due rent including cleaning/repair charges over the amount of their deposit. Since, I don't have the tenant's current contact information, how do I procede to try getting my money back? I understand that I can give this to a collection agency but they have no right collecting money without a judgement or proof of charges.
What steps do I need to take to resolve this problem? I don't know how to file a judgement or anything like that so I'll need "dumbed down" instructions on what to do.
Thanks in advance for any help.