It all depends on the state you are in, and the city sometimes, and what the lease says. It can be easy, or almost an impossible nightmare as the tenant almost always has some excuse -- often made up (the toilet didn't work and I told him I'd not pay until he fixed it; he didn't paint the PICK ONE room, hall, grass; etc. If the lease says tenant pays lawyers fees, and your state allows that, then you might win a judgment for lawyer's fees. Ask a lawyer as I promise, in most tenant oriented big cities, the advantage is with the tenant.