My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Arizona
I own my home in Phoenix (Maricopa County), Arizona. I recently came into financial trouble via a bad car accident, and decided to get a roommate to help pay bills. My roommate paid the first months rent, plus half the security deposit ($300 total). Since then, getting money for rent or bills has been like pulling teeth on a fish.
Since February, he has paid me $400 total, always citing back child support as his reason for not paying. When I told him he owed be $107 for bills, he paid $100. He spends his money on weed and thinks it's okay to just pay me whatever, whenever. (Loser!)
I made him sign a lease that specified I needed 30 days notice before move out, and that there was a $25/day late fee for late rent. I felt bad for him but got fed up with him when I got up one morning and there were 3 people over smoking weed with him in my backyard. I gave him a week's notice to pay at least half the rent, or he would get kicked out. When I totalled it up, it came to $808, minus the last week's late charges. He told me that was a ridiculous amount, and that he would be moving out (no written notice, though). I told him if he didn't pay, I would see him in court.
I've never taken anybody to court, and I'm not a professional landlord! Can I even take him to court? Also, he is taking his sweet time getting his crap out of my house... What are the rules for getting somebody's junk out of my house? What exactly do I need to do to get that back rent in court? He also tells me that I never gave him receipts.. when I did, and he just left them on the table forever, same thing with the lease, and no matter how often I reminded him to grab them, he didn't, so I stuck everything in with my copy of the lease. He says the receipts thing means he can't sue me. HELP?!?!?
I own my home in Phoenix (Maricopa County), Arizona. I recently came into financial trouble via a bad car accident, and decided to get a roommate to help pay bills. My roommate paid the first months rent, plus half the security deposit ($300 total). Since then, getting money for rent or bills has been like pulling teeth on a fish.
Since February, he has paid me $400 total, always citing back child support as his reason for not paying. When I told him he owed be $107 for bills, he paid $100. He spends his money on weed and thinks it's okay to just pay me whatever, whenever. (Loser!)I made him sign a lease that specified I needed 30 days notice before move out, and that there was a $25/day late fee for late rent. I felt bad for him but got fed up with him when I got up one morning and there were 3 people over smoking weed with him in my backyard. I gave him a week's notice to pay at least half the rent, or he would get kicked out. When I totalled it up, it came to $808, minus the last week's late charges. He told me that was a ridiculous amount, and that he would be moving out (no written notice, though). I told him if he didn't pay, I would see him in court.
I've never taken anybody to court, and I'm not a professional landlord! Can I even take him to court? Also, he is taking his sweet time getting his crap out of my house... What are the rules for getting somebody's junk out of my house? What exactly do I need to do to get that back rent in court? He also tells me that I never gave him receipts.. when I did, and he just left them on the table forever, same thing with the lease, and no matter how often I reminded him to grab them, he didn't, so I stuck everything in with my copy of the lease. He says the receipts thing means he can't sue me. HELP?!?!?