I currently have a tenant who has given her notice she will be terminating her lease at the end of the month. When I did the interior inspection I was devastated... everything is damaged, she pulled up the carpets and linoleum, the floors are now bare, her 4 dogs chewed the bottoms of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, there is no back door(the dogs scratched through it), she used a kerosene heater and there is black soot on the walls and ceilings, the screens to the windows have been ripped beyond repair. Because she only used the kerosene heater she allowed the pipes to freeze causing water leaks and damage. My husband said that property is beyond repair and is a loss. The tenant is a single woman who told us she had "A" dog, she has 4 dogs and 4 cats... We had no idea! It is a single wide mobile home that was in perfect condition. Our last tenant lived there for 7 years and left it clean and perfectly habitable and there were never any problems. Now this tenant has managed to destroy our first home and an important source of income. Is the tenant financially responsible for the value of the property?

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Originally Posted by freeze32

I currently have a tenant who has given her notice she will be terminating her lease at the end of the month. When I did the interior inspection I was devastated...everything is damaged, she pulled up the carpets and linoleum, the floors are now bare, her 4 dogs chewed the bottoms of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets, there is no back door(the dogs scratched through it), she used a kerosene heater and there is black soot on the walls and ceilings, the screens to the windows have been ripped beyond repair. Because she only used the kerosene heater she allowed the pipes to freeze causing water leaks and damage. My husband said that property is beyond repair and is a loss. The tenant is a single woman who told us she had "A" dog, she has 4 dogs and 4 cats....We had no idea! It is a single wide mobile home that was in perfect condition. Our last tenant lived there for 7 years and left it clean and perfectly habitable and there were never any problems. Now this tenant has managed to destroy our first home and an important source of income. Is the tenant financially responsible for the value of the property?

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Yes she is and should be responsible for all/any of the damamge she has done that was not there before if i was you i wuld take her to court and have her pay for all the damamgae she has done because otherwise she will try to excape it once she moves

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Originally Posted by freeze32

Is the tenant financially responsible for the value of the property?

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Hello freeze:

She is responsible for the amount of damage she caused - not the entire property. However, the ultimate responsibility for being a successful landlord rests with YOU.

The problem you're going to face is she won't show up in court and you'll win a default judgment. Then you have to collect on it. People who do the kind of damage you're talking about don't have money in the bank, and don't have regular employment. All you'll wind up with is a piece of paper in your hands that says "judgment" on it.

If you're going to be successful in the landlord business, you need to WATCH your property like a hawk. You didn't. You counted on her good will. You were mistaken. It's going to cost you big-time.

I hope I'm wrong. I hope she has money. I hope you get some of it. But, I'm not wrong, am I?

excon