View Full Version : Remedies for a TX Landlord with a trashed property after eviction
G2P2020
Nov 5, 2011, 08:22 PM
I evicted my tenants after 2 months of nonpayment of rent. I won the suit and a judgment and an eviction was served.
I went to the property and it was totally trashed with clothes, food, and dog remains. I have no forwarding address but do have their current employers. It appears I can't garnish them in the state of Texas.
Is there any way to retrieve my lost rent and damages in TEXAS :(
ScottGem
Nov 6, 2011, 09:57 AM
First you have to file suit against them. As part of the suit, you will ask for financial information.
Also, did they ever give you a check? They may still be using the same bank.
G2P2020
Nov 8, 2011, 06:13 PM
What type of suit?
They always paid with a money order.
ScottGem
Nov 8, 2011, 06:50 PM
Generally, it would be in small claims court. You file a suit for the money they owe you.
excon
Nov 8, 2011, 06:51 PM
Hello G:
It looks like you already filed suit and won... Collecting on the judgment is another matter.. Hopefully, you had them fill out an application so you know where they work, and where they bank, and who their friends and relatives are...
But, you didn't did you? If you don't know ANY of that stuff, you're probably not going to be able to collect. You COULD hire a collection agency.. They might be able to find them.
excon
ScottGem
Nov 8, 2011, 06:53 PM
You won an eviction order, did that eviction order include an award for damages? If the damages were not determined until afterwards, you may have to go back and try an amend the damage award.
Fr_Chuck
Nov 8, 2011, 06:54 PM
As a landlord it is important to do background checks, to get info on them like bank accounts and the such. Next it is even more important to evict sooner than two months for non payment.
I will assume your deposit was not large enough to cover this either.
Texas does not allow garnishment of wages for many things, but you will now need to sue for damages to the home in small claims court.
G2P2020
Nov 8, 2011, 07:14 PM
I was awarded for damaged, I've cleaned up my home & its still empty the market is slow!
I have their current place of employment but in Texas can't garnish them so it looks like
It's a total loss.
RickJ
Nov 9, 2011, 04:40 AM
Check out these resources:
How to Collect Your Own Judgment in Texas | Texas Judgment Collection Center (http://texasjudgmentcollection.com/home/how-collect-your-own-judgment-texas)
TX Collecting the Judgment - Lawyers.com (http://research.lawyers.com/Texas/TX-Collecting-the-Judgment.html)
And fyi, you can put a levy on the person's bank account if you know it.