[rjefferson]

I am renting a house in Bethlehem Pa on a month to month lease. I fell on hard times and decided to take in a tenant to help pay rent 4 months ago. My lease specifies myself, wife and my child. It requires a $200/person/month additional rent for if others move in.
The person I brought in has 3 children (12,9 & 7). They are taking 3 rooms in the home.
My rent is $1400/ month. They were supposed to contribute $700/mo and share utilities. So far they have paid less then $1500. My landlord gave me a verbal OK to rent out room(s) to help my financial situation and allow me to make rent.

Since they have not paid as agreed, the living situation has become intolerable. I told them to leave but they refused. I gave her 10 days and told her id put her stuff out and change the locks. She called the police, who came and told me I could not kick her out because she had mail conning to that address. She also had the police give my wife a citation because she threw a dish and the woman claimed it was an attack.

I have gotten behind on rent and need to get rid of this woman and rent to someone who will actually pay rent. My landlord has gotten frustrated and filed a landlord / tenant complaint against both myself and the person I rented the 3 rooms to. He asked for possession based on back rent owed and violations of the lease (more then the allotted number of people allowed per lease and discovery of pets which are not allowed)

The judge dismissed the case against the person I was renting to because my landlord said she was not a tenant, she was a trespasser. The judge said that they could not hear that case be cause it was filed incorrectly. He did get judgement against me for possession and rent owed.

If I can get this person out, I believe my landlord will work with me. My wife and I just got jobs again and will be in position to pay rent and catch up. Now he feels the only way to remove her and her kids is to remove my family.

Since I am the one that rented the room to her, HOW do I get her out?
the hearing was Monday so I'm on day 3.

Please help. I need a plan. I do not want to move. I need this woman out of my house, out of our lives. She said all the cards are in her hands and when we are evicted from our home, she will get to stay as long as she wants because she can drag out the legal stuff on my landlord. She has made our lives a living hell and apparently knows how to manipulate the system.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions
Rick

[ScottGem]

When you rented to this person you became a landlord. You should have familiarized yourself with the rights and responsibilities of a landlord before then. This site has info about the Eviction process: Guidelines for Pennsylvania Residential Eviction

You have not been clear on what court involvement there is. This site has information on the proper eviction process for PA. You really messed up by threatening an illegal eviction. Throwing someone out without a court order and changing the locks would be an illegal eviction.

PA law seems to be very tenant friendly here. While you can give a notice to the tenant to "pay or quit" within 7 days, you have to give them 30 days to to actually move out. What I'm not clear on is when you can go to court to file for an eviction order.

I suggest you pool resources with your landlord because he seems to not understand the process either. And consult a local attorney for the proper process.

[Fr_Chuck]

Agree, you evict them, just the way the landlord is going to evict you.

You need to sit down with the landlord and explain this and tell him exactly when and how you are going to catch up in any rent you are behind.

You became the landlord the day you allowed them to move in.