ecpevie
02-18-2007, 02:25 AM
Im just looking for some basic information from all of you. I have read through numerous posts and this is an amazingly helpful website. I am already planning on going and talking with our lawyer and the borough tomorrow (or Monday) depending on when I can get in.
We rent our apartment to a young couple (this is their first apartment together). They used to be employee's of ours and we just jumped into the situation too quickly and didn't take the right steps of renting it to start with. This MAY get very long very quickly but I'll try to keep it short.
We just did everything verbally, set a rent, what they would pay, ground rules, etc. They moved in, in late June/early July (2006). They never had a problem with them not signing a lease nor did we since they seemed like good kids *at the time.
We have nothing but problems ever since. Everything we have asked of them has NEVER gotten done. Their is a garage below the apartment that they are not permitted to use and they have stuff stored in it (its ours as well). We found out they are parking their cars next door in the neighbors lot without his permission and they told us they had it. They have been caught stealing from stores and have got to court for it and things just got really bad.
Well we noticed that a window was broken and we gave them 2 weeks to fix it, then another 2 weeks, and another until basically 2 weeks ago (today) we told them if it wasn't fixed in 2 weeks they would have to move out. This was also on top of us finding out they never applied for garbage pickup or paid for it so they were storing their bags in OUR garage!! Front to back almost full of garbage! --- lets just say Im grateful its not summertime and hot & humid. So with the 2 weeks for the window this was included. (When we talked to them initally about both problems all they said was, its no problem, sorry it'll be fixed don't worry)
Well a few days ago we get word from some of their friends that they have moved out. (WITHOUT TELLING US) We basically had NO idea. Their rent is due on the 15th of every month, but they asked if they could pay on the 17th this month. (I told them no problem - this was before we found out they were moving) I tried calling them several times for the past few days as did my fiance (the other owner of the building) and got no answers or calls back eventhough we left numerous messages. So today we went to go and talk with them (and get the rent) and a deadbolt was put on and locked. I was worried that the waterlines were busted bc the pressure in our other building was low and the temp's have been way low so we found a way in to find that 98% of their stuff was gone. Bed, clothes, couch, tv, CAT, etc. Just a few things were left plus TONS of garbage and junk everywhere... which btw: the water lines WERE frozen. So since we couldn't get in touch with them all night we considered them as moved out!
We finally got to talk with them and his stories keep changing from they did move, to they aren't moving (but at first he said he did, and numerous people told me they did, AND I got a call from their new landlord asking for a reference), to "you can't prove we ever lived there", everything has gotten out of control.
They owe us for 1 month of rent and a busted window and more than 20 or so holes are in the walls. What can I do?
Can I take what is left in the apartment as collateral until its paid back in full and then give their stuff back (there isn't anything that is needed for daily living)? We weren't told they were moving and I would have assumed that they abandoned the apartment since they were gone and unreachable for several days in a row and everything else was GONE.
Please advise if you can .. sorry for the length. Im in Pennsylvania!
We rent our apartment to a young couple (this is their first apartment together). They used to be employee's of ours and we just jumped into the situation too quickly and didn't take the right steps of renting it to start with. This MAY get very long very quickly but I'll try to keep it short.
We just did everything verbally, set a rent, what they would pay, ground rules, etc. They moved in, in late June/early July (2006). They never had a problem with them not signing a lease nor did we since they seemed like good kids *at the time.
We have nothing but problems ever since. Everything we have asked of them has NEVER gotten done. Their is a garage below the apartment that they are not permitted to use and they have stuff stored in it (its ours as well). We found out they are parking their cars next door in the neighbors lot without his permission and they told us they had it. They have been caught stealing from stores and have got to court for it and things just got really bad.
Well we noticed that a window was broken and we gave them 2 weeks to fix it, then another 2 weeks, and another until basically 2 weeks ago (today) we told them if it wasn't fixed in 2 weeks they would have to move out. This was also on top of us finding out they never applied for garbage pickup or paid for it so they were storing their bags in OUR garage!! Front to back almost full of garbage! --- lets just say Im grateful its not summertime and hot & humid. So with the 2 weeks for the window this was included. (When we talked to them initally about both problems all they said was, its no problem, sorry it'll be fixed don't worry)
Well a few days ago we get word from some of their friends that they have moved out. (WITHOUT TELLING US) We basically had NO idea. Their rent is due on the 15th of every month, but they asked if they could pay on the 17th this month. (I told them no problem - this was before we found out they were moving) I tried calling them several times for the past few days as did my fiance (the other owner of the building) and got no answers or calls back eventhough we left numerous messages. So today we went to go and talk with them (and get the rent) and a deadbolt was put on and locked. I was worried that the waterlines were busted bc the pressure in our other building was low and the temp's have been way low so we found a way in to find that 98% of their stuff was gone. Bed, clothes, couch, tv, CAT, etc. Just a few things were left plus TONS of garbage and junk everywhere... which btw: the water lines WERE frozen. So since we couldn't get in touch with them all night we considered them as moved out!
We finally got to talk with them and his stories keep changing from they did move, to they aren't moving (but at first he said he did, and numerous people told me they did, AND I got a call from their new landlord asking for a reference), to "you can't prove we ever lived there", everything has gotten out of control.
They owe us for 1 month of rent and a busted window and more than 20 or so holes are in the walls. What can I do?
Can I take what is left in the apartment as collateral until its paid back in full and then give their stuff back (there isn't anything that is needed for daily living)? We weren't told they were moving and I would have assumed that they abandoned the apartment since they were gone and unreachable for several days in a row and everything else was GONE.
Please advise if you can .. sorry for the length. Im in Pennsylvania!
