Follow up action after Winning the case

[quantcook]

What is the name of your state? MD

4 years ago I filed a case against my previous landlord who withhold part of my deposit without valid reason. Court has ruled the case in my favor and I have collected some of his bank information. Letter was sent to those banks to garnish money but non result in a sufficient balance for that. I believe the landlord were not telling me all his bank info.

I know MD state accumulate balance at a rate of 10% / year, but is there anything I can do now after 4 years to get the money back?

 

[zddoodah]

Letter was sent to those banks to garnish money but non result in a sufficient balance for that. I believe the landlord were not telling me all his bank info.

Not sure what you're saying here, and bank garnishments aren't accomplished by sending letters. Also, why would your former landlord volunteer his bank information?

is there anything I can do now after 4 years to get the money back?

Sure. Assuming your landlord is an individual, the most likely ways of enforcing your judgment are (1) bank garnishment; (2) wage garnishment (if the landlord has a job other than being a landlord); and (3) garnishing rent payments from the current tenant(s) (assuming he's still a landlord). If you don't have accurate bank, job and tenant information, you may need to conduct a judgment debtor exam.

 

[adjusterjack]

Is there anything I can do now after 4 years to get the money back?

You're having the same problem that landlords have collecting judgments against deadbeat tenants. There are deadbeat landlords.

Read about judgment liens in Maryland.

maryland judgment lien at DuckDuckGo

Might not see any money in the near future, but maybe someday.

 

[huddy61]

If you went to court, you could've consulted with a lawyer, pay him some cash and let him deal with all that hassle, I say it's not worth to chase the landlord who most likely has played this rodeo before and makes you jumps through hoops and delays

 

[quincy]

quantcook, what was the final judgment amount? You were suing over the failure of your landlord to refund your $300 deposit, correct?

Here is a link to your previous thread about the money withheld from your security deposit:

https://forum.freeadvice.com/threads/sueing-ex-landlord-for-not-returning-deposit.652384/

I really don’t understand why your ex-landlord won’t pay the judgment.

 

[LdiJ]

quantcook, what was the final judgment amount? You were suing over the failure of your landlord to refund your $300 deposit, correct?

Here is a link to your previous thread about the money withheld from your security deposit:

https://forum.freeadvice.com/threads/sueing-ex-landlord-for-not-returning-deposit.652384/

I really don’t understand why your ex-landlord won’t pay the judgment.

The dirtbag landlord has learned that there are few consequences for ignoring a judgement unless the prevailing party is experienced enough to know what to do.

 

[quincy]

The dirtbag landlord has learned that there are few consequences for ignoring a judgement unless the prevailing party is experienced enough to know what to do.

The landlord could face consequences if he decides to apply for a loan and he could suffer some consequences if other tenants leave bad reviews - but I mostly wanted quantcook to confirm that it is this $300+ that he is speaking of here. Tthe new poster named huddy61 mentioned hiring a lawyer and a lawyer would cost quantcook more than the judgment.

 

[LdiJ]

The landlord could face consequences if he decides to apply for a loan and he could suffer some consequences if other tenants leave bad reviews - but I mostly wanted quantcook to confirm that it is this $300+ that he is speaking of here. Tthe new poster named huddy61 mentioned hiring a lawyer and a lawyer would cost quantcook more than the judgment.

Yeah, even if he got triple damages like some states have it wouldn't be worth hiring an attorney.

 

[quantcook]

quantcook, what was the final judgment amount? You were suing over the failure of your landlord to refund your $300 deposit, correct?

Here is a link to your previous thread about the money withheld from your security deposit:

https://forum.freeadvice.com/threads/sueing-ex-landlord-for-not-returning-deposit.652384/

I really don’t understand why your ex-landlord won’t pay the judgment.

Nobody can understand, but there is a lien filed against him, the sum us just $300 and not worth working with any lawyer to chase it.
I'm just curious is it true that nothing will happen if I don't keep press on it ? And he cant sell the house or get any loan?

 

[quincy]

Nobody can understand, but there is a lien filed against him, the sum us just $300 and not worth working with any lawyer to chase it.
I'm just curious is it true that nothing will happen if I don't keep press on it ? And he cant sell the house or get any loan?

If you have a lien on his house or on any of his other personal property, he can sell this property and you would be paid out of the proceeds from the sale(s). Other liens may take priority over yours, however, which means you may not be able to collect on your lien. You would have to find another way to collect on your judgment.

He potentially can still get loans. Lenders have different criteria for qualifying for a loan.

You can review your previous thread for the options available to you (e.g., wage garnishment) but a debtor, even a judgment debtor, can find various and assorted ways to avoid collection. As you have discovered.

 

[zddoodah]

the sum us just $300 and not worth working with any lawyer to chase it.
I'm just curious is it true that nothing will happen if I don't keep press on it ? And he cant sell the house or get any loan?

If you have perfected your judgment by creating a judgment lien that encumbers property he owns, that's a passive way of enforcing. If it's only a $300 judgment (plus whatever interest has accrued), he might be able to get a loan because your judgment's value is negligible. It's entirely up to the lender. Likewise, he can sell the property if he can find a willing buyer. Ideally, the sale will result in you getting paid. However, in theory someone might be willing to buy it subject to the negligible judgment lien.

 

[Zigner]

If you have perfected your judgment by creating a judgment lien that encumbers property he owns, that's a passive way of enforcing. If it's only a $300 judgment (plus whatever interest has accrued), he might be able to get a loan because your judgment's value is negligible. It's entirely up to the lender. Likewise, he can sell the property if he can find a willing buyer. Ideally, the sale will result in you getting paid. However, in theory someone might be willing to buy it subject to the negligible judgment lien.

Alternatively, the lender may require that the judgment be paid (directly from the lender) using the proceeds of the loan.

 

[quincy]

In other words, quantcook may find himself chasing his former landlord for a long long time to collect on the judgment.

What quantcook might want to concentrate on is that the judgment alone probably is causing the landlord more than a little grief with it hanging over his head. It takes time and effort to avoid paying debts.

 

[zddoodah]

Alternatively, the lender may require that the judgment be paid (directly from the lender) using the proceeds of the loan.

That would be the typical way a judgment lien is handled. Most lenders want to be in first position and will require that the lien be removed before giving the loan. However, with such a small judgment, I'm sure there are lenders out there who will be willing to take second position behind a negligible judgment (I wouldn't, but I'm sure some would).

 

[quincy]

This assumes that there is money available after the primary lien holder is paid.