Need Massive Help

I've been pretty absent here for awhile from the stress and time of dealing with evicting a Tenant who just won't pay the rent since February and won't leave no matter what. She's a 'serial' squatter I found after finally finding 6 evictions before me. Wish I had know this before I rented to her.

I have never evicted anyone butI finally after 2 months of excuses and feeling sorry for her (as she said she was trying to find another place) filed for a formal eviction with the court and it's been 'heck' ever since. I am going back and forth on the trolley to central court (almost 2 hours a day) for paper filing and record researching.

Her latest tactic was to file with the court that the house was uninhabitable due to MOLD. Yeah, When I heard that (5 months after she never said a thing) I panicked and immediately made an appointment with her to inspect and clear the problem. She put me off twice but I finally got in and found NO mold except for some little spots in her tub area not due to anything other than not cleaning. I told her my findings and took pictures, but she insists there is mold.

I had to file for a court hearing with a judge to settle the lawsuit, but she counter-filed for a JURY trial. Since I can't afford a lawyer (she's not paying me since Feb), and that was almost 1/2 my income, I am seriously in deep trouble. I will have to represent myself, choose jurors, etc. Just as if I were a lawyer. She's determined to do everything she can to stay here FREE for as long as she can and as she put it "I know just how long I can stay!" She sure does. Six evictions with the same excuses and the courts allow her extensions for everything allowable (she knows everything to delay the final day).

Please pray for me and pray for her that she will somehow realize what she is doing to a totally innocent and good person. Court is Monday, but it will probably just be rescheduled to a later date (usually 2-4 weeks) because of her filing for that Jury trial.

She gets free lawyer and no costs, I can't afford a lawyer no matter how much I try, so I get me alone against what feels like an impossible task. I am behind on my mortgage by almost 4 months, I have not much food in the house, have lost 25 pounds since this started, and am so depressed I can hardly function sometimes. I'm NOT giving up. I just need some good GB strength to get me through this.

Thanks for whatever positive energy you can spare.

I am so very sorry to hear this Sorta. What a tragic turn of events. I do believe you can find a pro bono attorney based on your situation. Have you checked all available here?

Here is a good resource too.

I will send positive thoughts to you!

Ana

Oh my gosh, Sorta, I am so very sorry to hear this. What a horrendous situation. Will be praying for you. We have missed you!

Oh my goodness SortaB...sending Positive Thoughts and prayers your way!

Sending you some positive thoughts Sorta. Good luck and try to stay well. You can't do anything if you get sick from stress and not eating.

I was going to suggest looking into some possibilities such as Ana suggested. Your situation is terribly stressful, and I am sending you positive thoughts.

i am sending positive thoughts also, hope it works out.

Any help from this website??

http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Access-to-Justice/Pro-Bono

Check out the places that Ana & Draclvr suggested. It is good advice. In the meantime thoughts & prayers are going out to you.

Sorta I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this. My brother has rentals, and has told me some of his horror stories.

I hope things work in your favor soon.

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.


joe

Sorta, Positive thoughts and Prayers headed your way. I am so very sorry you are having to deal with this, Hugs.

You would think any judge worth a lick could see her six past evictions and know what she is up to.

Good luck Sorta. We are all praying that you get justice.

Thanks for the prayers and thoughts guys! And thanks for the legal help stuff. I've already tried getting Legal Aid to help me. They told me they only help TENANTS. Yeah, that was really hurtful. I've also contacted 7 different attorneys in my area and all of them are asking for at least $1500.00 up front before they will consider taking the case. There is practically no profit from Unlawful Detainer cases (evictions) because the tenant usually doesn't pay anything ever that is owed and the lawyer won't get the money except from me and I don't have it to give because the tenant isn't paying. Catch 22. I tried asking several about pro bono and they aren't interested. Big mess. I'm going to court tomorrow, don't know what will happen as the defendant counter filed for a jury trial after I filed for a judge trial and have the date tomorrow. BUT the judge has yet to sign the OK for the jury trial my tenant has requested. Don't know what will happen tomorrow. Maybe just a brief, 'we are rescheduling for a month from now for a jury trial'. Could happen. I'm scared. I'm trying to prepare for a 'trial' with all my evidence IF it goes on as scheduled tomorrow morning. Everything is a guessing game and what my tenant will do next to hurt me as much as possible. I'm trying to remain calm, cool collected, but am not doing very well. She will do everything in her power to stay in my house, without paying a dime, until the Sheriff drags her out kicking and screaming. She's done it 6 times already since 2008. Just a big big mess!

Just to give an example, these are 2 emails from her yesterday. "Good morning, I was wondering if I could show you all the paperwork of me signing a lease to move into a house, would you stop the court hearing?" That was the first one in the morning. I didn't believe a word of it, since she lies like crazy about everything. IF she had a lease, she would have brought it up to show me and solved everything without dangling the carrot. THEN, when I didn't respond to the email in 3 hours (I really was busy preparing for court), she wrote this: "It's fine, you don't have to answer. I got it all taken care of. You have your evidence and I got mine and also our witnesses. I tried to come to an agreement but you don't want to so now I have to do what I got to do." How quickly she flares up when you ignore her. Not a nice person. Driving me nuts. I'm sure she has several friends willing to lie for her. I have no one but me and am hoping the judge will see right through her lies.

Keep those prayers and good thoughts coming. Thanks again for legal remedies, but around here, the attorneys want big bucks for everything. Landlords are not given any help because I guess everyone thinks we are all rich and don't deserve anything. Wish I could just pay my bills. Sigh.

So, the pro bono lawyers I linked to aren't interested either? That's terrible. What does this lady think will happen if the bank forecloses on you because of her? Does she think the bank will let her live there for free? She may think she's clever, but is really shooting herself in the foot. I hope her history alone will do the trick. Don't suppose there's any possibility of contacting any of her previous landlords who went through the same thing with her?

Forgive me if this has already been suggested, but when my daughter had an issue with a landlord, it was suggested she contact a law school. Students can often provide advice without charge. Of course, this was in Illinois. She told the landlord exactly what the law said, and he reimbursed her for possessions he had removed from her apartment before her lease was up. She had already moved most of her stuff, but not all. The landlord took what was left in the apartment. He was required by law to reimburse her for a certain amount, which he did.

What a mess you have on your hands, Sorta. But you have the truth on your side. Hopefully a judge will see it your way.

We're all behind you, Sorta Blonde. And wishing you the very best outcome !!

Sorta hopefully the judge will not sign her request for a jury trial. It will cost the court a lot of time and money, and with dockets so backed up I would think he would deny her request. Hope you get to tell the judge about her previous eviction. As Ana suggested you might try and contact her previous Landlords. Sending prayers to help you thru this difficult time.

Sending prayers your way.

Sorta- Prayers that all works out well for you, thats why I sold my house... I now live in a co-op and Rentals free .... dont need any hassels at 70 .... Hoping all works out for you whatever you see fit to do ..... peope dont understand when you take in a Friend .....whoever ....and they dont pay after a year they cant be "Kicked out" because they have whats called today SQUATTER -RIGHTS .....so to you all-... Please be very careful! ..... I know because it happened years ago to amy friend Patricia ...and that taught me what to do and what Not to do! so ....Be careful you all

Every state is different, and some states favor the landlord and some states favor the tenant. However, the non payment for rent matter is not tied to the mold issue. The judge should/would evict the tenant based on non payment. The judge would tell the tenant, " Your claim on mold is another issue for another day in court".
The only thing I would say to this woman is to make sure she brings to court the documentation that the tenant from hell has done this previously. 6 times! I think this would matter to a judge or a jury.
I would have to see it to believe that a judge would allow her to stay and not pay rent, regardless of the complaints of mold. Without proof of damages from the tenant, the claim about mold is just a story, and the judge knows this.
I would file a claim in small claims court against the woman for rent and damages, even though she will probably not recover any money from the dirt bag. The Court should throw the case out because the woman is a serial harassment menace.

I hope you are 200% correct, mbday!

Thanks to all my GB friends for the massive positive help and prayers. This is almost over. We went to court today for a Judge trial, despite her counter filing for a JURY trial. The Judge decided that she would GRANT the JURY trial (it's the law and I agreed figuring we could come back in 2 weeks or so and have another delay, typical for her, she uses every out she can file) BUT it would be TODAY! Yup, how nice, I was ready even if I didn't have a lawyer (nor did she and no real evidence EXCEPT, she brought up everything she could. She was asked if she would like the JURY trial and she thought a minute and decided she couldn't do it today, citing her two sons at home. They are totally independent. Go in and out without her all day and night. Good try. So her only choice was to continue the Judge trial or come back way later. She chose to continue. Bad choice for her. Good for me, I didn't want to drag this out any more time and loss of income.

So we continued and answered tons of questions and the Judge looked at her evidence which turned out to be cell phone pictures of every little flaw in the paint and baseboards, etc. This is a 1951 house in reasonable shape, not pristine. The main claim on her answer to the eviction was MOLD. Scared me. AND despite her efforts (she had a video of her using a screwdriver to pry apart the entire window sill edge to expose what she claimed was mold). She admitted to me she did it AFTER I was down there looking for the mold she accused me of allowing. It was just 1951 rotten wood around the window frame. The Judge understood old houses. Now I have to fix her damage. The judge spent a lot of time off the bench looking at things dunno what but I did mention a pattern of evictions (6 now 7) maybe those. And the final ruling, citing NO real evidence of mold None, and that she signed the Lease AFTER doing a walk-through and seeing everything ,was to rule in MY favor. I am so thrilled.She also tried leaking pipes under the sink (gotta tell me those things so I can fix them!) and kept talking about the wet carpet until the Judge said, "Did you inform the Landlord about the leak and did she fix it?" Yes your honor. End of that argument.

Hate that she is going through this, but it's not my fault she doesn't pay her bills. I was also granted $3300.00 of 2 months back rent (which of course I will never see) and she was told to get any important things out of the house in the next 2 weeks because the Sheriff would be coming to change the locks. I know it will be much longer since she files ex parte motions, and other ways to delay the eviction day, but the end is in sight. I'll be so glad when she's gone and I can fix the house again and rent it to someone who understands you have to pay to stay. Oh yes.

Thanks for the positive energy, I could feel it from all my friends and it really helped.

Sorta, that is great news! Hang in there

thank goodness! I was worried about this case of yours. I hate sleezeballs.

i am glad it work out.

So glad that things went in your favor.

Awesome!! So happy to hear that, Sorta!

Great to hear some good news, Sorta! Whew!

Oh, I am jumping for joy and so relieved. I've been thinking about you all day! I had a feeling any competent judge would see through her BS, but what a relief to have it really happen. As you say, the end is in sight. This individual is a con artist and a thief. I wouldn't feel any sympathy for her at all. You gave her every chance to be a decent person and renter and she chose to be a cheater. So be it.

VERY pleased good sense won out, Sorta Blonde !! And I hope you soon get "back to normal" now

Great news Sorta!

Wonderful news, I will send positive thoughts she is out sooner than later.

Sorta Glad everything got resolved, like Dad used to say ...you dont have a Job you aint livin here ...me yes Job i had after I graduated found job ...parents were always there for me but I found them

Finally one for the good guys.

Update on events. Despite me having no lawyer and not being able to get one anywhere, any way (tried everything I could free, low cost, payment plan) I managed to win the case and as of yesterday, the Writ of Possession was issued, so it's in the Sheriff's hands now for the actual Eviction to take place sometime in the next 2 weeks. They are supposed to send me a letter telling me the day (which I am instructed to keep a secret) and then the day before, they will call me with the actual time. Ugh. Don't like all this stuff. Feel bad for the tenant and her kids too despite all her sneaky stuff and denying me my income which has put me in grave financial danger.

She still has 2 chances to stall the final day, by appealing the decision (probably won't win that) and by asking for a 'stay' which will keep her here up to a month over what should be. I'm sure she will try both or something new. She's determined to stay here, without paying, foever. Really, not kidding, there is something terribly wrong with her. Didn't notice it at first, but day by day, I see behaviors that are worrying. Especially got a good lesson at court. Wow. She's really thinking this is all MY fault. Yes.

So I'm just waiting for her to do something, or to get the letter and then wait wait wait. The Sheriff on the 'day' will actually go into the house, remove (forcefully if necessary) anyone who is inside, escort them out, give them a very short time to gather important stuff, and then stand by while I change locks or I think they might put a 'lockbox' on for me. Then I see if she tries to get back in and call them immediately. If she or anyone tries to get back in, they will be arrested. Wow.

Spoke to the info clerk at the courthouse yesterday and he said, "You did Good!" when I told him I did all this without a lawyer. Nice of him, but yeah, I did despite the confusion and mounds of paperwork/forms that had to be perfect. I am now an 'expert'. Ha. Anyone need advice? I NEVER want to do this again, ever ever ever.

I'll let you all know when it's finally finlly over and she's gone. Might be a few weeks or more, but it's going to happen. Hooray!

Let's hope "eviction day" will be the last you see of her and the end of all the mess for you, Sorta Blonde

I wonder how long it will be before her next "victim." The woman is more than a bubble off...

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers SortaB

So, today she called an emergency Ex Parte hearing. Yeah. She's getting advice from somewhere on all the things she can do to hold up the eviction. Well today didn't go well for her. I had to go to 'defend' myself. Was a long day, but I got there way early and watched some of the other Ex Parte cases. Turns out WE got the same Judge that found in my favor on the Eviction trial. Nice. Silly Tenant was woefully unprepared again. I tried to tell her earlier that IF she was granted more time before the final lockout by the Sheriff, that she would have to pay a daily rate of rent for that time. She couldn't come up with any money of course and babbled a lot. However, just before our case was called, she bolted from the courtroom and the Bailiff had to go find her. Then he escorted her back in and she loudly protested and made rude comments. The Judge was NOT amused. Wow, I hoped she would self destruct and she did. Bailiff remember me from last Monday's trial and it was fun. Judge told Tenant to go ask a lawyer about what she should be doing. When I was asked if I would grant her more time, I replied, ABSOLUTELY NOT. Yup. Practically yelled it. I think I heard an audible gasp from the spectators. Ha. Why grant her more time when I know she would not pay anyway. She of course didn't know that you have to pay right now for the privilege. Yup, tried to school her earlier on the law, but she never listens. I feel sorry for her, but not enough to let her ruin my finances and cause me emotional grief anymore. So while we were in court, the neighbor saw the Sheriff come to try to serve the eviction notice. Darn. Maybe tomorrow. After that, it's FIVE days till lockout. She will probably pull another court hearing on me, but I don't care. She will be gone gone gone. ahhhhhhh. Gotta get my life back.

Good luck Sorta. I hope you'll be rid of her and be able to find a good tenant quickly.

Sounds like things are getting real for her and she had quite the meltdown in court. She seems to think she can "use" people such as yourself, but may not have gotten the message that trying to "use" the courts never ends well.

I think she's not done yet with all her attempts to not move. Found out that while we were in court (her ex parte attempt to stall) on Tuesday, that the Sheriff did indeed POST the eviction notice on her front and back doors. She' got home 15 min before me from the Courthouse. I missed the first trolley, she caught it. So when I got home and the neighbor said a Sheriff was at the house, I reviewed my security footage and sure enough, there he was. So I called the Sheriff's Civil Office (they are soooo nice) and they said yes, they posted the notices. No notices seen by me, so she must have ripped them off immediately before I got home. She has till the 15th to get out. No so sure she isn't trying another ploy so I'm watching and waiting and calling the courts to see if she's scheduled another 'secret' meeting. If I don't appear, she just might win. She's supposed to advise me WHEN I need to appear but right now, she's probably going to not do that and I won't know. Sneaky.

This morning...UGH! She was out from 7 pm last night until 2:45 this morning. Her usual stuff. THEN again, she was up and out at 5:45 am to somewhere for 20 minutes. Woke me up with the driveway alarms and I just caught her going out. Had to get up. Going to be very very tired all day. At least I know she's plotting. Either she went to buy 'something' from the guys at the Laundromat or she's been on the payphone at the Liquor Store next door. Dunno. Can't figure out WHY she gets in and then out no sleep??? I can guess why but can't say.

Off to local courthouse in a few to stand in line for an hour or so to file papers and then ask the Sheriff Civil guy for a copy of the notice that she destroyed so I can keep it for my records. Gah. OH and the other gal who showed up at her house the day we were in court (in a black outfit looking like the grim reaper with the huge hood and all) came back yesterday at 7:30 am and was there for 10 minutes. Asked the Sheriff guy and he said 'sometimes we use outside process servers for cases that are not Evictions'. He was hinting that she got served with another case, probably nothing to do with me. Ohhhhhh. Trouble follows trouble.

Hoping for the best, but it's never over till it's over. Running running. Thanks again for good thoughts for me, it's really helping me cope!

I hope you're able to get rid of her soon, and that you can find a decent tenant.

so do i.

Sorta, hope this travesty is on it's last legs.

Sorta, I have to ask.... is she finally gone? I am so hoping for your sake. I have thought about this many times since you posted this and have been worried that she is going to give you a stroke or an ulcer!

I know, mbady! I check here multiple times a day to see if there is an update!

Hopefully no news is good news.

I'm getting worried about you Sorta Blonde...did everything work out OK.

You had a lot of good thoughts winging your way, lets hope they worked?????

yes, she definitely had a lot of good thoughts. I have been really worried that this tenant from hell would pull something more. Please, an update!

Sooo the update finally on why I've not been around. SHE definitely pulled another clever stalling technique. Sheriff was all ready to do the lockout and instead they called me to advise that SHE had filed some paperwork for her disabled son (27 yrs). I had made a very bad decision early on in the process and did not list him on the complaint, did not sue him. How can you sue a disabled mentally guy who isn't even a signer to the agreement? I considered him like the minor kid and never thought of doing a lawsuit against a person who the mom had told me could NOT sign any documents. and I thought he might not be capable of knowing what was happening.

In any case, the Sheriff gave me a head's up on what was happening and gave me a 2 hour head start to get to the courthouse and file for an Ex Parte meeting. (Emergency hearing). I did that and told the Mom to be sure to bring her son (it was HIS name on the paperwork). He (with mom's assistance) had signed what's called a "Claim to Possession". My fault for not suing him in the first place. Now it's a big mess. HE is claiming rights to stay in the house even though mom and other son were due to be locked out. So I got him to the hearing I scheduled so the Judge would be able to see that he was indeed disabled and under his mom's care. Was very obvious when mom had to prompt him to say his name and to spell first and last. I felt very bad for the guy. He should never have been involved in this at all.

Then after we did that little bit, we had another real hearing scheduled for last Wednesday to determine if his 'claim' was valid. Instead of the hearing, Mom filed a 'motion' to be his Guardian Ad Litem. Legal term for her being allowed to speak for him and him not having to testify (or maybe not even be there). DARN. She is obviously being coached by a lawyer despite having none listed on the complaint. Very sneaky. She would never have known how to cancel a meeting by doing that motion bit. Sooooo the Judge granted her motion and delayed the meeting for TWO MORE WEEKS. Yeah. I'm forced to support a family of 3 for another 2 weeks without any compensation and back rent owed of over 4500 bucks now. And I still have to pay the water and trash bills. Water was included (didn't know she would wash every other day!) And trash, she managed to put in her name on Dec 1 and NEVER paid a cent, causing the city to advise me they would put a lien on my property if the total bill (almost 200 bucks) wasn't paid immediately. Yeah, that one got me. So I changed the trash back to my name so there would be no chance of that happening. More for me to pay.

So now I wait for June 3 to have the next and hopefully the last hearing on this eviction. Can't believe how she keeps one step ahead and keeps me from getting my house back and doesn't have to ever pay a penny. I have a judgment of 3300 against her but I will never collect. Nope.

AND I'm almost positive she has that legal aid lawyer assisting her at every turn. I think he was actually in the courtroom watching us testify and is probably plotting the next big move to thwart my efforts. Only guessed this was happening when I saw 3 lawyers going up the escalator to the courtroom and heard one of them say HER name to another one. Yeah, he was going to consult with her. I think they are being very covert and doing it by phone since she sat outside the courtroom until the Baliff went out to get her. She was on her phone the entire time. Very not fair when she gets help and I am all alone because I have zero money to hire a lawyer and nobody will do it for free for Landlords.

Big mess all around. Can't sleep, lost 30 lbs since December (looking GOOD) it's a perk of all this stress and no time to eat. That's the only up side. I'll update everyone after June 3 as to what I have to do next. Hopefully it will be just wait for the Sheriff to arrive but I'm not counting on it given all that's already happened. Terrible...just terrible and I'm operating on half my income now, with nothing left after I pay my credit and utility bills. Thank goodness my mortgage holder is being very understanding or I would already be losing my entire property including my own house that I've lived in for 40 years. I think SHE would love that. Seems to have a vendetta against me for daring to ask her to leave for not paying rent. Big Sigh.

I'm sorry to hear this is still ongoing SortaBlonde

This makes no sense at all

I assume you are presenting the fact to the judge that this lady has not paid rent for two ... gosh is it three months now?

I wish you knew someone in the legal field to help you...

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers


PS ... I assume you have tried Legal Aid & Pro Bono lawyers??

I'm not sure how she can legally (or morally) use her son that way if he is as bad as you say.

I had a feeling she had pulled out something at the last minute. I'm still failing to understand how the judge can consider that you are expected to take on this woman as a charity case and provide her with free rent... She obviously feels that you are obligated to support her and her family. Just don't get it.

Thanks for thinking of me everyone. Still needing massive good energy for things to come. As for Pro Bono and Legal Aid. I sadly have discovered that NOBODY wants to do Pro Bono work for Landlords (only for Tenants). I personally called 8 different lawyers (some referred by Lawyer's referral service). No money in recovery from non-paying tenants. And of course everyone thinks that Landlords are RICH. Yeah, really they do. Because I managed to fall into a property that I rented for 20 years and then was offered at a very good time at a very good price, I became an Instant Landlord. Never wanted to be a Landlord. I never make a profit at the end of the year because I keep my rentals in great shape and don't overcharge. I like happy, nice tenants. Things were fine until this gal decided to embark on a campaign to ruin me emotionally and financially.

Legal Aid will not help Landlords. I was sooo surprised at that one. They will do everything they can for Tenants, but won't help me. I tried the legal aid clinics at the main courthouse and at the local one nearer me. They will hardly talk to you when you reveal you are a Landlord. It's shocking how they 'turn' on you when you say 'landlord'. Gads, I felt so rebuked. Called the MAIN Legal Aid Society for San Diego County and first question was, "are you a tenant or a landlord". Guess what they said after I said Landlord. "Sorry, we don't help Landlord's" Just like that period and when I asked where I could get help, they told me to hire a lawyer. Thanks a bunch.

I have no idea why she thinks I am a Social Service Agency that should support her and two grown boys. Not sure why the courts feel that way too since I've had limited success. Started this all in January when my Tenant said 'I loaned the rent money to a friend and she didn't pay it back' I almost fell over. Told her to get the money or else. Sent her the appropriate 3 day notice and HELPED her get more money from the relocation company by printing off the documents she needed to fax to them. Geez. I actually helped her and look what she's doing to me! But I did get the January payment, late. Then we had a BIG discussion about being sure February's rent was on time, etc. She assured me there would be no further problems. Then on Feb 1, nothing, Feb 2, I contacted her and got another huge mass of excuses. Nothing made sense. So another notice to her, then got her to voluntary send me a 30 day quit herself. Of course she lied and never intended to go. From there, more notices from me, and EXCUSE after excuse from her about how she couldn't find a place, had bad credit, almost got approved, needed a cosigner, had other interviews...on and on and on. Until I finally got the message and filed formal eviction on her on April 8. THEN it got worse. I should have filed right after January's payment was late. I could have, it's legal and it's in my contract. I was being way too forgiving and understanding.

She's really loving MY house and thinks it's hers. Making no effort to pack, condense, move. In fact early last week, she had ATT&T there again installing something extra for over 6 hours of the guy's time. Wonder what it was. Probably the $10.00 internet offer with free everything. She's not gonna leave until she is dragged out.

AND using her handicapped son as a weapon is really making me mad. It's working well, and whatever sneaky lawyer (not all lawyers are bad, don't take it wrong) is advising her how to stall the eviction time after time. I just want my house back so I can start making money again. She is doing everything she can to not let me survive and walks around like she hasn't a care in the world. Driving me nuts. Sometimes I just wanna....well you know...fill in your own...get even method here_____________________.

Awww, Sorta, so sorry this nightmare has been going on for so long. Hugs

Yeah, L4L told me you tried the Pro Bono route earlier only to find out they normally do not help landlords ... wow, our legal system has really gotten out of balance in this arena.

I'm still shocked the judge expects you to give free rent ... that does not make any sense

What a load of legal BS. It is only a matter of time until the Karma Wheel rolls over her.

So sorry to hear that Sorta. Sending positive thoughts!

So sorry to hear that Sorta. Sending positive thoughts!, hope you get this straight out.

What a shocking situation !!
I am so sorry to hear it's still going on and send my very best to you, Sorta Blond

Unbelievable!!! So sorry you are still going thru this!

Wish I was a lawyer. I'd offer my services FREE to any deserving Landlord (like me) who really is being taken advantage of by a tenant. Met several others in this process who are going through similar things and losing income while the tenant lives free for months and months. The law allows it and the Judge is bound by the law. Hate going to court when I know that the Tenant is going to win another battle. Really hate it that SHE is getting covert help from legal aid lawyers who are guiding her at every step. I am going to find the one who told her to file that 'motion' and confront him if I can. At least I can tell him I know what's going on. I'm doing this all on my own (yep, stupid but necessary). No money, can't borrow, can't squeeze out anything from my meager income without her rent. Eventually I will get my house back. Just have no idea when. I'm trying to just listen to the Judge, interject when I can about the TRUTH and hoping she see's the Tenant for what she is. A liar and cheat and a person with no conscience. Every day I have to watch her walking out the driveway to go shopping and bringing back bags and bags (usually fast food) while I am trying to stretch 7 bucks I have left for a full week before my tiny retirement check hits the bank. So sad in many ways. Court is really enlightening when it comes to pleading my case. I'm the plaintiff, but I am treated more like the defendant each time. Pray for me and the Judge that my June 3 hearing ends all this mess and I get my house back and see the last of the evil tenant. Don't know what else to do and it's depressing.

Keep smiling

So sorry to hear your problems are still on going....it seems like the laws bend over backwards to "protect" the tenants like they do with criminals nowadays...

Hopefully some judge with common sense will put this right soon.

Until then our thoughts are with you.

so do i.

I suppose you couldn’t do this now, but maybe when this is all over and done with you should consider selling the rental house. You’re so far in the hole right now that I doubt you could recoup your losses by continuing to rent it. jmo Best of luck with the current situation. Sure seems totally unfair.

Ahhh Sparkle, good thoughts there, only problem is my rental(s) 2 of them side by side are ON my 3 house property. I live in one and the other two I rent out. Can't split the property easily since it's all one 'parcel'. Thought of that awhile back but who knows, maybe the city could come up with something. AND the 3 houses are all on ONE water line AND the sewer line is joined with mine. Big mess of intertwining when the original owner of my house build the 2 rentals and avoided lots of building permit stuff and taxes I guess. All legal, just combined a lot of stuff. The electrical boxes are on my wall and wires run through my attic crawl space. Really complicated. All legal and safe (I had everything inspected) but very hard to split if I could I'd get rid of them in a heartbeat. Just have to get this mess straightened out with this evil tenant who just has no conscience and is out to ruin my life. Terrible person and she's using her mentally disabled son as a weapon for the latest round of fun. Don't know what the Judge will do on June 3 but I'm ready for anything. Still can't understand how someone can just hold your house hostage, not pay a dime and all the while you have to keep providing free water/trash/etc. Laws gotta change.

Sorta I feel so bad for you and wish there was a way I could help.

I don't suppose there's a possibility you could have her water or electricity cut off.


joe

How I wish Joe. It's totally illegal to do ANYTHING to a bad tenant. Can't shut off anything, have to keep the house in good repair, fix things etc. even if they aren't paying. California law is really tough. Can't intimidate them, make noise to annoy them, etc. I'm even afraid to walk past the house to get to my other tenant's house and my empty back lot that needs mowing, etc. for fear she will claim I'm spying on her or something. Not a good situation, but I would LOVE to do something to her. Yeah...dream of all sorts of stuff...

i am sorry about this, i guess you got a corrupt judge who is letting her do this, and she hire a corrupt lawyer, who is helping her do this, again i am sorry, sending positive thoughts.

As I said before, I fail to see why you are expected to take her on as a charity case against your will and to your great detriment.

What about going to the media Sorta, let them know what this tenant is pulling & that she is putting you in financial jeopardy.

I thought of that too Judith, but with her next hearing on June third I wondered if it would harm in any way-----maybe the judge wouldn't be too happy.

Doreen

I love all the ideas for solving this mess! Unfortunately, the laws that protect Tenants are really biased. Landlords have a bad reputation for being unfair. I know some are, but I'm not one of them. Laws protect equally and the Judge has to follow all laws on her rulings and what she allows. My Tenant has the help of a legal aid lawyer who is advising her covertly. I'm going to spot him the next time I see her in court on Monday. I know she is getting really good 'get your landlord' advice because she isn't savvy enough to be filing all this motion/hearing/ad litem stuff on her own. I could hire my own lawyer, BUT she's forced me into financial ruin. I'm just able to pay all credit/utility bills with about 100 or less left over each month for food and everything else. I am letting the mortgage remain unpaid and so far the lender (private) is working with me because they know the situation with this tenant is eventually going to be solved and they will be paid when I get a new renter.

Horrible part is NOT knowing what the next hearing will bring. I am depressed then hopeful, then back down to rock bottom endlessly. Won't know till Monday when the Judge rules one way or the other. I already got a judgment in my favor on the Mom and the minor son which included 2 months back rent (which I will never be able to collect). The adult disabled son is the current problem since she is using him as a weapon to stay longer for free. Either he is or isn't capable of renting this house on his own and she tells it both ways to suit whatever the current rulings are. I'm hoping that the Judge can (law again which she must follow) rule him incompetent to do anything alone and that Mom is indeed his guardian and makes all his choices for him. If so, he had no standing to file that last paper insisting he had rights to the rental (other than WITH his mother there). No rent paid from anyone since Jan 4 and with the new ad litem ruling, I have no idea how much longer she can stretch this out. I'll find out Monday. Her lawyer (free from legal aid) is really good at what he's doing for her. Gotta give him credit for continuing the attack on me. He knows all the little ins and outs and tells her what to do next. I've spoken to the guys in legal aid and they are very aggressive for the Tenant and won't help me at all because I'm the big bad landlord. What a nasty mess. Legal aid people are volunteers so they don't fall under any state guidelines for what they can or cannot do. They make their own rules. She automatically qualifies because of her disabled son's status. I don't qualify for anything and if I had the money I'd for sure hire the best lawyer i could.

Wish this was all over. Keep those positive thoughts coming and throw in a few for some bad karma for this evil tenant. She's busy shopping daily and taking Taxi's again and spending entire nights from 7ish to wee hours of the morning away somewhere. I'm guessing Casinos or bars to make money. Plus the drug deals out front. Worse yet, the 17 year old seems to be helping with the drug stuff. He's now making the 10 minute trips to the corner and coming back with nothing I see. Then mom seems to have something to 'give' to her friend in the very visible Chevy Van out front. Then she goes on a shopping spree again. Oh how i wish I had proof for the police. Way too complicated to get that and prove anything even if I did see her doing the selling, and did see her with the drug dealers at the laundromat etc. Wouldn't be enough for the police to arrest anyone. Sigh....hoping for an end to all this and then on to the next crisis.

This is tough to just read Sorta I can't imagine what it is like to live it.

Hi Space, it's painful and depressing. Imagine someone having you trapped and pointing a weapon at you and taunting you hour by hour day by day as to when or if they will use it. You never know what the day has in store, what terrible thing she will come up with next to thwart your efforts to get her out of your house. I have NO idea what LAW says I have to support a family of 3 for as long as they decide they want to stay. Laws are terrible and penalize the Landlord for the crime of being nice enough to rent to a deserving (so I thought) family. Who knew she would turn out to be a monster? Makes ya want to never rent again. It will maybe be all over on Monday. I'm not holding my breath though. I just have this feeling that it will just keep going and going and going....Probably just me not waking up from a nightmare??

I think you should take this story to a local news station to publicize how the local judge/court is letting a family live rent free by using the legal system.

Like KUSI News "It Ain't Right!" Their website says to Submit a tip to: itaintright@kusi.com or 858-571-FILE (3453)

Get the story on TV

Once this is finally all over, I am thinking about doing 'something' to make sure this gal never does this to another person. I'm not the first, I won't be the last, but I confirmed again yesterday, that in the month of December, she received over 49k cash, non-taxable income for her family. Her sister, received 53k for her family (they had been living together in a rented house which was purchased to be torn down for a huge low/mid income apartment building. I called the company again (nice people) and was assured that all the monies were paid (in 3 checks over a 2 week period) to my tenant. What she did with all that money from December 1-Jan 1 I will never know. Hid it? Spent it? Gambled it away? (my favorite choice), spent it on 'self medication'? I'm just waiting and trying to be optimistic about Monday's court date that nothing new happens on her part and that the Judge reinstates the lock out by the Sheriff along with her and the 2 kiddos and I get my house back. Then it's another total rehab to fix, clean, refurnish, etc. All over again. I jsut can't see how the state of California is forcing me to SUPPORT a family of 3 for the last 3 months, going on 4 now with no income. It's like a sentence has been rendered, finding me guilty of whatever and forcing me to do this. Will never understand the law.

You are being FORCED to take this woman and her kids on as a charity case with no consideration of your own finances or needs. Something is wrong with this system.

We will all be sending positive vibes your way Sorta.

Thanks guys! She's still on the attack today. After I got the judge to admonish her not to send me any more 'harassing' emails, she did it again. This time it was under the guise of something about the house which the judge said was ok to email me about. Either rent or house stuff. Soooo she starts off with she wants to meet with me about the 'housing situation'. I figured I'd better answer because if something is wrong, I need to make it right. Well, it wasn't about the house at all, it was AGAIN about her being able to spend more time here free of course. I answered a few little cryptic questions on my part and that made her mad again and she finally said she didn't 'want to have to do 'actions' against me to stay longer'. I asked what actions and she gave up. But her last email of the string was, "Sorry to tell you, but I think the termites are back again". Yeah just like that. What the heck??? Are termites now a dangerous situation? Are they hazardous to your health? Are there any houses in California that do NOT have termites? Geez....she's a piece of work. Copied it all and taking it to our 'hearing' on Monday. Hope I can get the Judge to read it and tell her again to just quit it. I consider it harassing and vindictive and a fear tactic. Very not nice tenant. Can't seem to figure her out no matter what.

She should be put on a do not rent to ever list.

I would love her on a do not rent list except I want it AFTER she's gone from my house. Yup.

She spent the entire mid-morning and afternoon playing email tag with her. This time as yesterday she's trying to convince me to make an agreement BEFORE we go to court on Monday. I'm not agreeing. I want any agreement to be made by the Judge with witnesses and recorded. We have microphones on the tables in front of us and everything is recorded. She insisted she was trying to avoid calling the City and State Farm to report me and have the house inspected for all the problems and I would have to spend a lot of money to fix all those AND I'd have to pay to have her move out during that time. I reminded her that SHE already has a judgment against her for cancelation of the lease and $3300 bucks she owes me. But for my mistake on one paper for her disabled son, the Sheriff would have removed all of them almost 2 weeks ago. Darn. My fault.

But she has now backed off on the turning me in (don't know if she actually will do it). I'm not afraid of city code enforcement. They just tell you what needs fixing, no fines and when it's fixed they come back and inspect. No biggie except the work. I always fix everything I find wrong. THEN I told her if anything was wrong, she would need to use the 'fix and deduct' law since I had NO money and can prove it with my documents. I told her to fix whatever and deduct it from the RENT she owes me. Ha. Another backpeddling by her.

Not sure if we will continue all this back and forth tonight or tomorrow, but I've got some great emails to show the judge of her threatening me with all sorts of 'actions' if I don't agree before court time to let her stay longer. She says she 'might' have a place, 'working to get the place' but it's not ready till the 20th. Yeah, Like I never heard that one before, and with the SAME date. Geez. No memory of trying that lie on me months ago.

Anyway, printing out emails for court. Might need them or not depending on what she's going to do on Monday. I'm guessing she's not been able to get that Guardian Ad Litem paperwork for her son, or thought better of it. Perhaps it would have sparked an investigation by Social Services where she gets all her 'stuff'. We shall see.

Oooo… good point there. I hadn't thought about that potential SS investigation. She is definitely sounding quite desperate to manipulate you into letting her stay longer. At this point belongings and people on the lawn might be the only outcome you can hope for. She made this bed and I have a feeling she ran into a buzzsaw with you.

Good luck tomorrow Sorta, will be thinking of you, and keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes well for you.

Doreen

Thanks again everyone for all your support. I am not sleeping well since all this happened. Prayers are gratefully accepted and all the positive energy you guys can muster for me. SHE is using every legal dirty trick in the book to stay here at my expense. Not just free house but the water and trash and electricity for the sewer pump, without which, sewage will back up into her tub then the toilet. Worse yet, the other rental (my best friend) will flood first. SHE could care less as long as she gets what she wants.

Starting Thrusday, she has continued to try to get me to come to 'an agreement' before tomorrow's hearing. I finally decided to play along and asked her for a copy of the LEASE for the new place to prove she had one this time. SHE sent me a totally messed up lease which by careful reading and looking at all the erasures, write overs, white outs, and changes, turned out to be a lease from 2016 for the place she rented just before coming here. Yeah. Really a nice piece of evidence. I probably won't be able to introduce it to the Judge but maybe, just maybe I can.

SHE still thinks I'm writing up an agreement to sign before court (on her terms of course) that will tell the Judge that she and I agree to letting her move out on the 22nd. I'm not writing or agreeing to anything but she doesn't know that yet. SHE also won't tell me the Birth Date of her younger son. He's supposed to turn 18 on June 20 (she doesn't know I know the date) but she flatly refused to give me his birth date. Yeah, that's suspicious. I'm guessing that she is going to use HIM now as another way to stay here free because if I had the agreement, which of course she is lying about once again, she would have HIM claim rights to the house being now an ADULT. Savvy gal, she knows it all. I must find a way to tell the Judge what might happen and see if there is anything I can legally do about this one.

Not happy, not looking forward to yet another hearing tomorrow, that probably will just let her stay longer and longer without paying me a dime. The law is terrible and does not protect Landlords. I feel sorry for all the other Landlords who are going through this type of thing. Sat through a lot of cases lately while biding my time at the courthouse and found that the Tenant has all the rights. Sad but true. Law protects them (as it should) but some of us Landlords are not the greedy, nasty people they portray us to be. Very very sad over all this.

Hoping tomorrow will be good news, but expecting the worst again. Don't know how I'm going to continue to pay my bills with no money coming in. All I have from retirement and a small widow's Social Security are used up on my credit debts, many of which are ones used to rehab that rental. I expected to be able to recoup some of the costs with the rent. Now I'm behind. So far, I'm not missing payments, only my mortgage and my lender is giving me a lot of leeway because of the situation. Won't last forever.

Still losing weight, but hey, being thinner is good. Feel healthier with 30 lbs gone and finding clothes fitting that were stored away. Even fit into my wedding dress! Wish it had been a weight loss not caused by stress.

Keep those prayers and good thoughts coming. 8:30 am California time is the court date for Monday.

prayers and postive thoughts on your way, hate the lawyer and judge for this.

That altered lease is good evidence of an attempt to defraud. I don’t see why the judge wouldn’t consider it. You also seem to have plenty of evidence from e-mails that she’s tried to intimidate amd manipulate you. It’s hard to understand how this can happen. Who set up these crazy laws anyway? Best of luck on Monday.

Good luck, Sorta.....Hugs!

Oh, definitely what Sparkle said - that altered lease is an attempt to defraud. She keeps digging herself a deeper hole.

Had court Monday. Made a deal with the devil herself because when she thinks she's getting her way, she agrees to stop the torment. I don't think she understands exactly what she does to people who are nice to her. Scares everyone away. Anyway, I weighed my choices on what might happen at court with the Son's claim (which mom filled out and made him sign) and I decided to go for a sure thing instead of guessing and maybe coming out worse than I was.

She and I went into court, I told her she had to apologize to the judge for putting her mentally disabled son on the complaint in an attempt to stall the move out date (which it did) and that she wanted to retract the claim. I was holding the FAKED lease she sent me over her head and said I would show it to the judge if she changed her mind at the last minute and fooled me again.

It was actually fun to see the Baliff (who knows us well by now with all the appearances) looking at us in disbelief that we were actually talking and sitting together. Had it all planned what she would say, what I would agree and THEN it wasn't the same judge! Eeeeek! She was sick and it was a man who had no idea the history of our little mess, but to her credit, my Tenant stood there and stated she wanted to retract her son's claim and that she would agree to a lock out date that we both agreed on before court. Judge asked the CLERK who actually runs the place (ha) and she coached him as to what we were doing and he asked if we both agreed and he signed the order to remove the son's complaint, extend the lock out till the 24th (even if she's out earlier I will let the Sheriff do the legal job) and that was that. Wow.

So today I went in again on the Trolley and got the copy of the court minutes and it says exactly what we agreed and in big capital letters (never saw tht before on paperwork) it said: IT IS SO ORDERED. Nice. Now we are on the court's record no matter what she might try to say. All in black and white and documented that she's being locked out period .I'm optimistic but being careful not to celebrate just yet. You never can tell what she might come up with. Consummate liar, don't think she is aware of her lies but definitely wants to get her way no matter what. if you agree with her, she won't hurt you. Yup, found that out. Hope she stays in a good mood till the END.

At this point, you do whatever you need to do to save your sanity and get your property back. But I agree... she may still try something yet. But it does sound like her legal options are at an end anyway. It's quite obvious that this woman is more than a bubble off.

Glad it went well, Sorta!!

i hopr it works.

Hope all continues to go well and she is gone by the 25th Sorta.

After it is all over it would be great if you could get your story out to the media, it might help other landlords that are going through the same thing.

I am hoping this all goes without a hitch this time. Pretty clear what the order of the court says, but my fine little tenant probably still has her own agenda. From what I've learned over the last 6 months there are some people without conscience that you might occasionally run into when you least expect it. She isn't reasonable, might have some mental problems which don't show on the surface. The biggest lesson I found is the old adage, "Don't poke the bear". She's the bear and it's sad that despite all my efforts to try to deal with her normally, it wasn't working. Can't intimidate her, can't criticize her, can't correct her, can't push her. Just have to be all nicey-nice or she goes on the attack and won't stop till she wins. Wish I could 'win' here, but I'm just hoping that she's out when she says OR the Sheriff locks her out and that she goes away and I never see her again. So creepy to deal with. Reminds me of those made for TV movies about bad Tenants. All good in the beginning and then they turn out to be psycho. I think she's one of them. Probably could write a book about what I've learned. So horribly sad and frustrating and costly. I will recover, but not until SHE is gone gone gone. I will however, keep track of the court records now that I know how to access the information and she where she lands and what new things she is up to. Has more of a criminal history than I thought too. Just finding some of those listings now. Just inherently bad.

Keep those prayers and thoughts coming. They actually help!

They are still being sent, Sorta Blonde

Awww Sorta, I'm so sorry you've had to go through all of this. She sounds a really nasty piece of work and you don't deserve all this heartache. I hope now there's light at the end of the tunnel for you and it will be all over soon.

I'm sending prayers and much love your way.

Mary

I'm still waatching her like a hawk. She's a sly one and has no morals at all. I'm reasonably sure she'd defrauding every social service agency around. Managed to get unemployment benefits after quitting a job back in November. Must have told quite a tale. Actually, she is believable, and that's why I got taken in by her. Easy to like, want to help her and then she attacks. So sad. I will not rest until I see her gone gone gone. Yesterday...yea again, she sent an email wanting to know what to say on the rental application (for the place she already said she had) when it asked her "When did you last pay rent?" Like I'm going to tell her to lie? Or sign a receipt lying myself? Nope. I told her I would gladly sign a receipt saying 'late rent payment' and sign it for today, if she would cough up some of the $3300. that the judge awarded me on the original eviction claim. Bad move on my part. Poked the bear again. I must stop doing that. She fired back some choice comments (this is after continually offering me money) and I finally told her good luck, put down whatever you think is right. No more from her since yesterday. Hope she gets somewhere to love but pity anyone who rents to her. I think she's mad because she was counting on getting her 'security' back to help her pay for the next place. Sorry, I used that for February. Maybe that ruined her plan of having some extra cash to move out. I think so. She kept mentioning it after I used it. In any case, I am anticipating more stuff happening but just don't know what. Maybe she can turn her charm/anger on a new target and just leave me alone. Praying for all to work out smoothly, but can't rest until the end.

Your best bet is to simply ignore any further communication from her. The court has issued an order and that’s that.

I have to say that I agree with Sparkle. Just ignore her, hard as that may be.

What would you do if she lists you as a reference?

OMG! A reference for that one? No way. If anyone ever calls about her I'm going to pretend to be someone else. I won't lie for her or anyone, even though I'd love to make sure she's gone. Probably just say, "she's not here right now, can I take a message?" Little white lie to keep from making a mess of things in ways I can only imagine.

So far today she's not contacted me. I am pretending to not be home because my car is in for repair. No car, no me so she will think. Hiding out, zipping in and out to get mail and only using my front door (away from her view). Also recording to see if she ever comes out of her 'cave'. Usually she stays bottled up until about 3:30-4ish. Then she goes shopping (like crazy) as soon as her sons are home. I really think she's guarding the house never really knowing what I might do. Sheriff has a definite lock out date. I'm assuming they will keep that one unlike last time when they tried to trick her by saying a day before the actual lock out. Calm day so far, but I'm not sure what happens tonight. Always fun.

So far we are good here. She's being stranger and stranger with weird comings and goings at all hours with her friend who drives a Fiat. This gal was here at the very beginning of the tenancy and my tenant said she was a security guard. Never said where, but back then they would go out all night till the wee hours of the morning. I assumed to the Casinos. She had lots of money then for everything. All of that $49k which I verified just last week again. Paid to her in 3 checks between November 14 and Dec 31. It's obviously all gone.

Last night again, dark house until 10:30 pm. Then SHE goes up the driveway, stands at the street on her phone (not standing ON her phone...ha) and is looking up and down obviously looking for a taxi or someone. She finally walks up to the main street (only 1 block away) and 5 minutes later, the Fiat gal drives IN. Nobody home as she waits for about 5 more minutes. Off she goes, and 15 minutes later, the Fiat is back WITH my tenant. 2 people go in and out of the house (unloading something in several trips) and then the Fiat leaves without the tenant and all goes dark in the house again. What? Either tenant made a late night food run (they love pizza) or who knows? Maybe a drug run and pizza. Oh well. Never can tell except the behavior of the tenant is erratic more than usual.

Night before she got home at 3:30 AM from a night out at 10 the night before (with Fiat gal). She was UP at 5 am and wide awake at 11 when she came to get some paperwork from me. Yeah, definitely on something. Not mentioning it to her, except to tell her she has tons of energy I wish I had. Yeah...she's got a lot of energy.

Sheriff definitely has the paperwork needed to continue the lock out. I went to the local court office to make sure. I also, despite not poking that bear, managed to get HER to say she will stick to our 'agreement' that she told the court. Hopefully she won't play any more games. I still don't trust her for a second! Lock out day is Monday June 24th and she is supposed to be moved out herself by the 22nd. Let's see how that goes.

Keep those prayers coming. This isn't over till it's over.

Yeah, even 10 days seems like a loooong time with this unbalanced individual.

We are all keeping our fingers crossed for you Sorta.

We are all keeping our fingers crossed for you Sorta., and hope she moves out, but sorry for her next victim.

Quick update. SHE is still here not looking like she's planning on moving anytime soon, but I'm patiently waiting to see stuff going OUT. She shops almost every day, just after she does her little drug deals, which have now moved from out front in the public street, to behind my house in our little private parking area. Yeah, she's getting braver now that she knows she's leaving. Yesterday, she actually handed over a gallon size back of what appeared to be marijuana to her little drug buddy. Yep, clear view of it in the security camera. Gal opened the big ziplock bag, took one of 3 smaller bags and sniffed it. Same with bag number 2. Oh well. If only I was a cop! This is the first time I saw any marijuana change hands. All the rest of the times (2-3 times a week) have been small packets that could be concealed in the palm of your hand. Gotta get rid of the one fast before she brings the entire drug trade to my door. At least it explains some of her strange behavior.

Good news is I called the Sheriff to check on Monday's Lock Out date appointment. Didn't get any paperwork in the mail like the first try last month when she stalled everything with the 'claim' by her mentally handicapped son. He had no idea what she made him sign. She retracted that at our last court date when we made the final agreement for her to move out without doing any more stalling. His name, however, remains on the lawsuit as a defendant. How awful of her to use him like that.

But again, the good news is, the Sheriff's office has everything they need for the final lock out and will call me a day or two before they appear. I'm relieved. Second try doesn't need all the formality, just the signed Judge's order to the Sheriff and it's all in place for a go. I'm anxiously awaiting Monday to see if she is still here and take pictures of the fun. I really think she will stay just to annoy me and could care less about the shame and consequences of being Evicted by the Sheriff. What a horrible person.

I'll let everyone know after Monday's big event how it went and what horrible things I discover IN the house. Might be bad, I already know at least 1/2 of the 11 mini-blinds which were NEW when she moved in, will have to be replaced. I've had mini-blinds for 40 years and only one had to be replaced. She is there 6 months and manages to trash a bunch of them.

After this, nothing will surprise me.

Monday still seems so far away!

Will be thinking about you Sorta

Update: Well it won't be Monday (tomorrow). Called Sheriff and am to wait for 'their schedule' for the Lock Out. They call you the day BEFORE they are coming. Geez, what a way to make you worry and wonder. I'm still telling her it's Monday. Probably be Tuesday or who knows. All I know is she IS starting to box up things, says she has a storage unit, borrowed my 'garden cart' to drag things 2 blocks away to the storage, etc. Let's hope she's really starting to move out. As of yesterday, still hadn't finished painting the living room that she started in November 2018, Yeah...she said she would do it yesterday. I'm not so sure she will. In any case, things are a bit more hopeful, even if nothing seems to be happening in any major way. Don't know why she's not got some friends to just whoosh over with trucks and move her somewhere, anywhere. Seven months of my life, tied up with all this. What a waste of time and energy and money. Hoping for good things to happen once she's out of my life. Never can tell what mood she's in or how much she's lying about everything. Dangerous gal in a lot of ways.

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers Sorta!

Keep smiling!

It sounds like you're nearing the end of this adventure...

Can't wait to get that news from you

Be patient, don't worry...it will happen!

Hope you get the proper "Happy Ending" to this very sad tale SOON now, Sorta Blonde !!

Cheers.

Mad

Fingers crossed for you Sorta. I hope this is it.

Sorry to yell, but: I GOT MY HOUSE BACK YESTERDAY! Yes yes yes. Sheriff arrived as promised and SHE was busy out moving stuff to somewhere and left her just turned 18 year old kid home to deal with everything. Nice of her. Maybe she didn't want the Sheriff's Deputies to see her? Maybe they know her? Ha.

She kept asking me on Monday, when the Sheriff would be there. I couldn't tell her because they say not to. Finally they called and scheduled the lock out for 1 pm. That morning, I went down to see how the 'moving' was going. She had her boyfriend rent her a U-Haul and she started moving on Sunday. She said she rented a storage unit around the corner. I'm not so sure. So she gets 2 loads moved and then she has to return the truck to the boyfriend. She shouldn't have been driving anyway. No driver license due to a DUI some time back and she's still on probation and has no business driving anything. BUT she sure could drive that truck really well. Wow. No problem backing or turning it around in the driveway. Geeee.

So I took a look at what was 'left' the morning of the lock out and there was TONS of stuff still there. The entire patio is full, and she had one of the 2 bedrooms half full of neatly stacked mattresses and other stuff she didn't want to go outside. The entire kitchen floor was 3 feet high in small boxes and bags and suitcases. That's when I lost it. Told her the Sheriff would be there TODAY and if she wanted any of the stuff IN the house she had better move it out now. I guess she finally believed me and started moving the kitchen pile to the driveway. Then she called a girlfriend who helped her make several small trips (small Fiat sedan) again, supposedly to a storage unit. Only took about 15 -20 minutes per trip I suspect she's living with the gal in the Fiat or actually managed to rent a new place. She tipped me off when I asked for the KEYS (4) and she said, "Oh I left them at the house....errrrr. motel." Yeah, I think she has somewhere.

Anyway. Sheriff called the kid out of the house. He was very good at this. I suspect he's used to lock outs. He followed directions, came out, listened to the Sheriff warnings about not going back in or would be arrested. Fun thing is while this was happening, the Fiat drove up (probably for another load) and my neighbor saw it make a U-turn. Yep, didn't want to be there with the LAW. So she came about 5 mintues after they left, didn't want to have the 'paperwork' that they left for her on the door. Was in a hurry and I told her she would have to email me to make an appointment to get the rest of her things within 15 days. She said, yeah yeah yeah and was gone. Goody.

I spent 6 hours yesterday condensing all the stuff she left in cupboards and around the rooms. Was a MESS, but mostly clean except for terribly spotted carpet. Going to have to shampoo that. Only 7 months old and already very very dirty. She left a twin bed in the house that I had to dismantle and a HUGE entertainment unit I also had to take apart so I could clean and fix things. She should have done that in the last few months knowing she was leaving. So it's all in the one bedroom and I will wait the 15 days for her to get her things. If not, I will just put them out front on the street and evertything will disappear in less than a day.

Soooo happy I have my house, don't care if I have to do work to fix it again. She trashed 5 of the 11 mini-blinds and the washer is leaking somewhre behind, the lef t side of the kitching sink is leaking around the drain and the sewer pump has stopped working. Ugh. All plumbing stuff she should have told me about. I'll work on fixing those things later, I'm tired from just picking up stuff and cleaning and taking out trash. YARD is so overgrown I think dinosaurs are living in the tall weeds! Can't get to the sewer pump until I hack and mow everything.

Bottom line, thanks for all the prayers and wishes. I'm finally FREE of her except for her coming back for all her stuff. Feeling better and better.

Congratulations on getting your house and your life back Sorta.

Sorry it had to take so much out of you. You are one tough lady though.

I've watched some youtube videos of squatters and how much hell property owners have had to go through.

I don't envy them. One lady had to go to the TV station to get consumer protection to help her get her house back, and all she did was go on vacation. They were in her house when she got back.

The world is full of these opportunist low-lifers.


joe

Congratulations SortaBlonde ... oh what a great feeling you must be enjoying now

That's great Sorta! Hopefully you can get totally back on track soon! I do hope you change the locks though.

Good for you Sorta!

Did she ever return the keys? You probably need to change the locka anyway.

Congrats Sorta!!

Good riddance to bad rubbish, Sorta!

Too bad you have to wait 15 days for her to get the rest of her stuff out, she should have taken everything, but so glad you are finally rid of her. Now you can finally get back on your feet.

Thanks guys, without your help I'd still be agonizing with her here. Such a terrible person. Her whole life is being spent taking advantage of others. Lots of stuff on the court records. Wish all files were open, but a lot are 'masked'. She's just a bad bad person. I will never see any of the money she owes me. I'm still wondering if she will try to sue me for something or other. She seems to love court.

As for the Locks. First thing I did after the Sheriff left. I double locked the sliding glass windows, then I changed all 8 knobs and deadbolts. Was going to do that anyway since I never seem to get back the keys from renters. Easier to just change locks. I get the ones that are all 'keyed alike'. 8 locks and all the same key. Neat. Now with the new knobs, I made sure I get the ones that are 'rekeyable'. Kwikset makes them. Expensive, but cheaper in the long run because all you need to do is choose ANY key that will fit and with the little tool they include, you just change the locks to the new key in about 30 seconds. All locks locked up tight AND I took one of my 'driveway alarms' and put it down there so when I'm working inside I can hear if someone drives up or walks up. No surprises for me.

Things are going to be hard for awhile. Gotta finish paining the living room. She left the paint, but she should have finished that since she started in November 2018. Yeah, a real great starter of projects and not finishing them. She does however, do a very good job of painting. Much better than I can.

Cleaned stove, fridge, sprayed tub with mildew eraser. Got some stuff that takes away the mildew AND the stains in about 15 minutes. Amazing. All fresh and white and clean. Actually the bathroom is pretty clean. Toilet spotless, sink pretty good, tub just a few spots that needed a touch up since she refused to use any cleaning products that were heavy duty. Hey, if it's not smelling like strong bleach, it's not working, right?

Carpeting is the worst. So many spots. I will have to rent a machine to clean it. Tried spot cleaning today and it's not doing much and toooo many spots. Things are looking much better and after I get paid this week, I can hire my plumber to fix the leaking sink, and unclog the sewer pump, if I haven't already managed to do it myself. Hate that sewer pump! She should have told me that toilet was glurping huge bubbles when it flushed. Or that the washer drain was leaking out because the pump receptacle was overflowing. Nothing like bright green tall grass to help you spot a problem with your septic/sewer pump.

I'm so wanting her to come back and take the rest of her junk. She legally has 12 more days and then I can dispose of it, however, I think I will just drag it into the driveway and put a tarp over it and see if she appears in a week or two after the deadline. I'm sure she will try to say she 'didn't know'. Not a biggie, but I need things out of the house so I can rent it and start getting an income again. Boy will that be great! My taxes will be so low because of only 1/2 my income since February. Yep, lots of stuff I need to buy and especially I need to pay my mortgage! Thank goodness I'm not being foreclosed. Could have been worse.

Best and most stupid thing she did/said was that she thought she could come back every day (and even sleep there) AFTER the Sheriff locked her out. I wonder what she thinks the words 'lock out' mean? Duh.

Tomorrow, I might start painting. Ugh! Hate painting!

Happy dance! Woot! Congratulations! Yay! You've finally got your house back! Holy cow... what a freaking ordeal. I wish there was some way to make sure this sick individual doesn't do this to someone else. Seems like the courts are finally catching on to her though. Just gotta make sure all the jurisdictions know who she is... don't know how to do that.

Glad all went well Sorta. Hope you are done with her! I'll bet she doesn't come back for the rest of her stuff. I think its a good idea to leave it in the driveway covered so you don't have to let her in again!

So Happy you have your house back.

How much do you want to bet she will try to get back in with her keys! I'd love to see her reaction to that!

you might have to change the locks, i am happy for you, sorry for her next victim.

Woot woot, Sorta, so glad you got your house back. Smart of you to rekey the locks 'cos you know she made a copy of the keys, so even if she gave them back, the house would not be secure.

Hope she gets her stuff so you can be done and over! on all the work you need to do. Hopefully she is in your rear-view mirror.

Each day I wake up KNOWING I don't have to deal with a crazy nasty person. Whew! Only 12 days left for her to claim her stuff. I'm sure she will come on day 13. Don't care now, she's someone else's problem. Probably will follow the same routine. I'll keep check on her. Only problem with the courts is they 'hide' the Unlawful Detainer cases for 60 days. If you know both parties and the address you can see it, but with her giving no forwarding address, I will have to keep checking the court records after 60 days to see if anyone filed anything on her. I'm SURE it will happen again.

Place is getting in shape. Big problem is the yard and getting to the sewer pump so I can see if it's totally dead or just clogged. Not sure what yet and dragging the lawnmower down there and attacking those 5 foot high weeds and grass is a real project. I'll do what I can until I collapse. Gotta get this place rented. Nice little house, quiet, simple, private drive. Should have been great except for crazy tenant.

So great all of you supported me with prayers and good wishes and all the energy I could FEEL. My neighbors too, who I drove nuts with all my whining. They have been good to me. Some actually got their families in other states interested in the saga and got daily updates. Glad this is all winding down. Hopefully there will be NO further saga of the Tenant from Hell.

So very glad this is over for you.

Hope she claims the stuff she has left behind with no more problems for you!


Please don't rush into renting again until you have checked references and phoned landlords to check any new people out, I know you need to rent the house as soon as possible but ....

I'm glad you got your house back. One suggestion, I would not put her stuff out on the driveway until her deadline is up. Doing so before, she could say it was damaged or things are missing and end up suing you. If you watch Judge Judy, she has had several cases like this and almost always the tenant wins.

Hopefully, you will now be able to get back on track and in control again, Sorta Blonde

Thanks Ispace. I am not moving any of her stuff until the time limit is up and over a few days. Then I will move things out so I can finish rehabbing the house. Hard to work around all that stuff in the one bedroom and the entire patio is packed with stuff. Can't do much until it's gone, but even so, I will carefully move it, protect it with a huge tarp and try sending her a letter telling her it's going OUT. She already has the initial, legal notice about Abandoned Property which spells out everything. She doesn't listen well, so I''ll make sure she knows she has to get her things.

SHE wrote me an email today asking if she got any mail. I told her I would keep it for 2 weeks as a courtesy. After that it goes back to the post office. I did have some mail so I asked what time she wanted to pick it up. She said Noon. So I was at the house, waiting and cleaning at 11:30. At 1:30 I gave up. 1/2 hour later, I get another email saying she's running late. How nice of her. So I put the mail on the back security door and emailed her to contact me IF she wanted to take any of her stuff at the same time. 1/2 hour after that, she rushed down the driveway (I have alarms that let me know) and grabbed the mail, and rushed back out. Good for me, I didn't want to see her anyway much less have to chat.

Hope she is sooooon gone for good. Real pain in the *****. Makes an appointment and then doesn't show? Par for her.

Keep smiling Sorta ... you'll make it

And in addition discovered in my cleanup...the TUB is clogged and running very slowly. I wonder when she was going to tell me about that problem? She kept harping about TERMITES in the last few weeks. Are there any seen now? Not a one, nothing, no bugs, no signs of active termites, nothing. I think she was going to use that one for court too if she could. Maybe she will use it later. I'm still not sure she won't file some weird case against me for something. Being nice to her now. Not pushing or criticizing. All smiles and happiness. Not poking that bear, wish I could.

I've been following your tenant saga, Sorta, and I'm glad she's finally locked out. However, I've been wondering if the plumbing problems might be sabotage on her part. Maybe that's why she didn't want to meet you.

Ahhhh LadyKestrel, my thoughts exactly all along with her need to get lower rent, more money from everywhere without working a day. Once I get the plumber here (could be a few weeks with no money and have to buy a new pump) I will have him carefully examine the pump to see if something was dumped down the toilet that deliberately clogged it. I have a whole list of stuff on the rental agreement NOT to flush. Those pumps are a royal pain, but she may have indeed done this on purpose. She complained about every little thing that went wrong, WHY not sewer gas smell wafting into the house and tub drain clogged totally? Doesn't make sense. And I've always thought she might have 'engineered' the wet carpet during the big rain storm. Pattern of wet was very strange. That got her $550. off the next month's rent. It got me a whole lot of paranoia and work and money to rip out the entire room of NEW carpet, dry it, put in all new baseboards, seal the house inside and out along that wall, etc. Then she tried claiming it was AGAIN wet the next 2 months in a row. Something just didn't seem right. How to know. Professional Tenant in Evictions. Ugh.

SHE has been back twice in the last 2 days. Once to pick up her mail (she emailed first as instructed) and today to sell someone a huge heavy dresser and get her vacuum and her shopping cart. We went back and forth on when she was going to come so I didn't have to wait around all day for her to not come or to be late by 2 hours like yesterday. She's playing me big time. I tried to get my point across and got 4 rapid fire emails about how 'she knows, the rules, she knows what the Sheriff said, she knows the law, etc. I should have just not complained. Always turns out badly when I mention something and she takes offence immediately. Not worth it. Soon everything will be gone and I can rest. Well that is after I pay the plumber a lot of cash to fix all the things she probably broke.

The joys of Landlording. Not fun sometimes.

i am happy she is out, but sorry about someone else being her victim, i just wish all the landlords would see her coming, and know about her.

Yes family, I wish I had known how to look up Evictions on our court website. My friend told me how. Now I can check everyone before renting to them. Only problem is that they 'hide' the Eviction case for 60 days while it is in progress so if someone is applying during that time, you wouldn't be able to know anything. After 60 days, all you have to do is type in their name and everything appears. Something about protecting innocent tenants if the case goes in their favor. I think it's horrible for Landlords to not know until it's too late.

I've never been a renter but I have known a couple of doozie landlords, which tenants don't know until it's too late too. (Just saying. Sometimes there is a "second side" to a story.)

So, when you get a GOOD landlord like Sorta, you really, really shouldn't treat her like something to scrape off the bottom of your shoe.

Agreed!

I agree with the bad Landlord scenario oldbroad. Known a few myself after having been a renter for 30 years myself. Oh the tales I could tell. I try my best to not be like them. This gal is just unstable in so many ways. I'm really thinking it's a mental problem that should have been diagnosed and treated. Who enjoys the suffering of someone else? She does. She gets absolutely gleeful when she causes me trouble. Of course whatever drugs she is taking and selling adds to the fun. I'll be glad not to see her 'customers' driving up. it's easy to tell when she has the drugs and doesn't by her behavior. So awful to watch and know you can't do anything. Soon she will be a memory. Only 10 more days to get her things and hopefully I will never hear from her again, but knowing who she is, I'll bet she keeps in touch and probably will ask if I will rent to her again. Ha.

I hope those ten days go by fast for you Sorta. You have suffered enough and this needs to end.

It's been one week since the Sheriff kicked her out. I'm feeling much better. All that's left to do for renting it out again is painting a second coat on one bedroom, fixing the leaking sink drain, mowing (and chopping) all the weeds in the back yard and tying up a section of bamboo privacy fence, putting in a new sewer pump and shampooing the carpeting. All the little stuff is pretty much done. Oh I forgot to mention GETTING HER STUFF OUT. She has 8 days now. If she doesn't appear, I drag it all out to the driveway and she can deal with the mess. I have no idea how one of 4 sections of that tall bamboo privacy fence managed to come off the chainlink fence I strap tied it to. Strange. I'm guessing the younger kid decided to sneak in or out of his room and tore it down in the process. House next door is empty and MOM slept right outside his door, so only way out would have been the window to the back yard, across the yard, tear down the fence, hop the chainlink, walk 200 feet up to the street through the neighbor's empty yard. Probably what happened.

Off to finish Soap Operas and then down to paint that room.

Have you even seen or heard from her lately?

Maybe they took up residence in the empty house next door.

Ouch.

Ohhhhh shame on you oldbroad...hehehehe. Yeah I've heard from her 3 times now. Once she wanted to bring someone by to pick up 'something'. Turned out to be a heavy dresser. Other time she wanted her mail. I left it on the door of the empty house. Third time she wanted her Brown Paint. Duh. I located it, no easy task with me being color blind, but I finally found it and put it out with all her rollers/brushes, etc. Don't know which of those I loaned her. I don't care anymore. She can keep it all. She hasn't come by or emailed as to when she will to get the paint. AND as of tonight, she has SEVEN days to take all her junk or lose it. Yep, it's been a full week since she got tossed out. I'm starting to enjoy myself a bit. Painted the bedroom and it looks much better. Needed that second coat to make the splotches go away. Took me 2 hours. Would have been shorter except I kept dripping paint on the rug despite my careful drop cloths etc. I'm a very messssy painter.

Hi Sorta, it's so good to read you have your house back after what must have been a nightmare situation for you! Here's hoping she doesn't cause you any more grief and you can move on from this. Wishing you nothing but the best!

Mary

I'm doing better since she got Locked Out. She still has STUFF here and has 5 more days to collect it or lose it. She actually wrote me an email asking if there was any MAIL for her. I responded yes, a grocery store ad flyer and a bill from AT&T. I asked if she was going to stop by today to pick them up? Reply? Not today. Duh. Why ask if you aren't going to come over and get your things. And it continues. Soon no more her, no more stuff, mail collection stops by me on Monday. I've already advised the Mailman to just keep her mail and return it. If I get some, I will do the 'label' bit I always do. "Tenant moved, no forwarding address". Works well.

I've been wondering how the "count down" was going!

FIVE days and counting. Moving all the stuff from the bedroom (3 mattresses and twin bed and heavy entertainment unit plus) to the living room. IF she decides to take all that before the deadline, I don't want her wandering through the house, so I'm dragging it as close to the front door as I can. Will make sure she only comes in and out the front and will assure that she , or one of her helpers don't run any WATER anywhere. Gotta keep that sewer pump tank evaporating as much as possible before the plumber comes to put in the new pump. I'm almost positive SHE did something to ruin it. Those things run forever. 20 or more years on the previous pump which is still in working order but so old. Newer ones are improved. Gonna have everything perfect as I can for a new crew. Ugh. Hate to think of trying to VET applicants. Made such a big mistake this last time. Scary.

We'll be here with ya on the countdown Sorta

I am thinking you need to do some serious "on-line research" to find multiple sources to 'VET' applicants...

Take care!

Sorta did you feel the earthquake that hit CA yesterday?

Hi Gerry, YES, amazingly I felt the 7.1 yesterday, but not the original 6. something on the 4th. It was 8:30 when the tremors finally made their way down here (5 miles from the border with Mexico). I was paying bills. Ugh. And my house started swaying just a bit for about 5 seconds. At first I thought it was just a big truck driving by outside, but then my tubular chimes on my grandfather clock started clanging together and I looked up and all my chandeliers were swaying. Wasn't bad, but didn't know if it was an earthquake HERE or if it was just the outer edges of the other one. News media didn't even cover OUR little tremor for about 1/2 hour! I've got to catch up on what's happening in Ridgecrest in mid-California to see how they are doing. Was really scary there. Ridgecrest is near China Lake Military Facility which is a weapons storage area. Potential for lots of bad stuff happening.

As for the TENANT, she now has FOUR days to claim her stuff. Still hasn't responded to my email yesterday that she has mail to pick up. Interesting. Checked the Jails, she's not in custody.

Maybe she's on a bender with her own "product" she was selling!

Glad to hear you are okay Sorta. My niece is flying to San Diego Sunday. Hopefully things will stay calm with the after tremors.

T minus Four...

She wrote me an email yesterday asking please please please can she come today to get her stuff (has someone to help). I said SURE just let me know what time. She was thrilled. I think she thought that yesterday was the last day she had to get things. ha. Nice. I wonder if she will show? She will probably have some excuse and beg for another day. Fine with me, according to the Sheriff she has till today and I will extend that (without telling her) for a few days to make her happy. I just want all her junk out of there so I don't have to move it or dispose of it. Hoping for TODAY!

I've got a feeling she's going to get her stuff out today. Sounds to me like she's ready to move on to her next victim.

Fingers crossed that this will soon be over for you.

So she's sticking to her 'plan'. Finally emailed at noon instead of morning like she said. She wants to reschedule for Wednesday. Why not Tuesday? It's a pattern. Make me wait, promises promises. I was ready for that. She says the person who was going to help her is sick. Another of her famous excuses. So I said, sure, Wednesday is good, but it's the LAST day you can get your things before they all go out on the driveway. She said thanks. Now lets see where she goes from here. I'm still planning to keep her stuff for a week or so just because she is so scary and probably already has plans to do something annoying again. At least I won't have to sit around all day tomorrow waiting. She's really a piece of work. Sigh.

Manipulative, devious, mean, two-faced, criminal, zero conscience... not a nice person in any way. So sorry you crossed her path.

T minus 2...

SortaB, what are the rules once you put her things on the driveway?

How long does she have to collect them?

Ahhh soot, the rules are already over actually according to California Law. I had to keep her stuff safe for 15 days past the day she should have been out. That actually expired Sunday, but the Sheriff said 14 days past the 25th when they locked her out so I'm going by that. That will be the 10th to be all fair and legal. AFTER that day, I can do anything I want with her precious stuff. I can sell it, give it away, burn it, anything I want. Only thing I have to do is take inventory. If it amounts to over $700 bucks worth (HA) I have to declare it and do something else. Never did look into that since it's mainly junk. In the house wasn't mandatory. She just kicked up such a fuss I decided to stop poking that bear again and let her win to make it simple and leave what she considered rare and valuable where she put it in the bedroom.. She's already given signs that anything missing or damaged will be my fault. Uhhuh. I didn't CHARGE her for the storage, so I'm not strictly liable as long as I don't destroy it or let it get stolen.

She's gotta get out of my life. Feeling much better now that she's actually out of the house and looking forward to ALL her stuff being gone. I'm going to just put it on a tarp, Take tons of pictures of each item, put another tarp over it, tie it all down securely and keep it for a week or 2 until I see she's not coming back. She already has signed the document which spells out her rights to reclaim her stuff. I am keeping that for my files. I'll even email her to let her know the day it's going to the street for the scavengers to take. California laws are so pro Tenant it's scary.

I'm soooo nice. She can play all the tricks she wants but she's not going to 'get' me on any legality no matter what she tries. SHE needs to get another hobby. Feeling sorry for the next victim.

Good on you SortaB

So, hopefully today's the day!

Sorta

I hope no news is good news!

So she rescheduled AGAIN. Not unexpected. She loves games and especially controlling people. Was Monday, then Wednesday, now Thursday. Warned for 2nd time, today or it's all out in the driveway in the weather, exposed to spraying feral cats (maybe some coyotes too). Either she gets it all today or I wash my hands of it. Not waiting around for her to decide when or if. She's a strange bird. Hopefully this 'guy with a truck' will magically appear this afternoon as promised, and take everything she left. I'm especially hoping those 3 mattresses go since our trash company will only pick them up 'by appointment' AND if each one is carefully wrapped in plastic! Yeah, it's a pain. I will be at the house today waiting and make sure she takes them. Also she hasn't returned 3 of the 4 keys for the doors. No matter, I changed them all anyway. Can't imagine why she won't cough them up except to bother me.

Yesterday...wheeeee. Got the Sewer Pump replaced. The other one was dead dead dead. Not sure why. They last forever but who knows. Nothing unusual in tank, no signs of tampering. Just died I guess. Plumber (who is awesome only charged $150 to pull out the old one and install the new one that I provided). I always buy my own supplies if possible to save money. He's more than agreeable to that. AND he listens to what I want. Yeah, imagine that? I guy who actually asks my advice as to how things should go and how I'd like them. He had the pump tank cover backwards and couldn't get the lid to sit properly, so I suggested it was backwards, pipe in wrong hole (only 2 to choose) and sure enough, he undid all of it and switched and it worked. Wheeee. Nice nice guy. And then he changed the leaking kitchen sink drain AND unclogged the bathtub which seemed to have been clogged with LINT. Interesting. All for $238. (included 10 for a fitting I didn't have) and 2 1/2 hours of hard work. I love that guy!!!!!

House is almost ready to rent. Gotta get a carpet cleaning service in to do the wall to wall which is horribly spotted and then mow, chop the back yard and it's good to go. Praying for a GOOD tenant this time around. After this last one, I think I can handle almost anything, but really don't want any more grief. Whew, need a rest.

Hope she shows up today, and it is all over soon. Hugs to you!

I think I would of told her to feel free to stop by the yard sale and bid on the items that used to be hers that she is interested in.

Can't wait to see your post tomorrow ... thought that was going to be today but I see you gave her another day

I know you expected her to put it off again, but I'd hoped she wouldn't. Today has got to be the last straw. Gone or out there for the scavengers. Maybe get a photo of all the [blip] out there along with a newspaper with the date on it to prove she is outside her deadline and you are free to do what you want with it. I mean... she's had two weeks!

Good idea!

I think inviting her to a yard sale (of her ex-stuff) was a wonderful idea that Space Quest Fan had.

Offering her a 10% discount as well might make her come running and clear her/now your stuff out.

And it keeps getting better. She will never leave me. Ha. She's avoided again coming over to get her abandoned junk. Excuse for Monday was the guy who was going to help her was sick. Rescheduled for Wednesday, excuse was the 'guy with the truck can't make it till Thursday'. Thursday' s excuse was even more inventive, she was out of town and was having 'family problems'. Yeah. So I am now not being nice. Tired of her ripping me around, but still a bit apprehensive she is gearing up to sue me in Small Claims for loss of her precious stuff. So I gave her a final warning to pick up her stuff and if not Today, it would be put out in the parking area under a tarp. She of course screamed and said I told her I wouldn't put it outside. I never said that. Usual for her memory functioning. So I reminded her that she signed the paperwork (required by Calif Law) that abandoned property is now mine and I can do whatever I want with it. She got mad. Accused me of having a trauma somewhere in my past (yeah like right now) and said I needed a Yoga class or something similar to chill out. Ha! This is so funny.

Now I am entirely going to Poke That Bear and keep poking. Wrote her everything she did to me, everything she ruined at the rental house, all the dirty little messes she left for me to clean up, and everything that I have to pay to replace. Especially not happy about the sewer pump which is costing me about 400 bucks to replace. Burned out, probably due to massive use from her washing almost everyday, 2 or so loads and lint all in the pit. Also clogged tub with lint. Dunno how. So she now has a litany of things she didn't do and things I wanted to say to her forever but was trying to to upset her. She's already irrational, so I'm going for it. Don't care if she sues. I have all the 8x10 glossies and bills I need to win the case. Only problem is I will never collect a penny. Don't care. Just need her out of my hair.

Things are going out in the driveway today. On a large tarp and under a tarp, carefully placed and tied down. No animals or rain will ruin any of her precious belongings. She's now 3 days over the abandonment clause and I can dispose of anything I want. She's trying to extend the time and hinting about 'I guess my stuff is gone'. I am assuring her it's all safe and sound and will indeed be going out of the house today so I can get the horribly stained carpet cleaned and put the patio (more stuff there) back in shape so I can rent the place. She's irrational about everything, probably on some 'self-medication' and it's almost funny if it wasn't for me hemmoraging money, time and effort to get things rentable again.

Just sent off my scathing accusations telling her what I thought about her and her mess and I'm sure she will be will be writing me an email soon attacking every little thing. It will keep her busy for awhile. Glad I can now Poke The Bear and enjoy it. I'm not afraid of Small Claims. Might be fun. Even if she somehow won, she owes me a judgment already of $3300. so they could use that to pay her. Yeah.

Perhaps you should threaten to take HER to small claims court to collect your already existing judgement of $3300... a little counter-suit perhaps?

i agree with draclvar, if a judge gave her money, he is stupid.

I can't imagine how you feel Sorta. I'm sick of her and have never met her.

I just hope she's not vindictive enough to cause a new renter grief.

She's just a passive aggressive bully with deep mental conditions I can't identify and a need to cut down anyone who isn't her. The possible drug use isn't helping. We sent emails back and forth all night and this morning. I'm finally not giving in to her or trying to placate her anymore. I am telling it like it is. In the meantime, she is telling me that I must have had some serious trauma in my life to make me this way, etc. I think she must be talking about herself.. hehe. She says I need to do Yoga or something to calm down. Fun comment huh? Anyway, I've told her in no uncertain terms, that all her stuff in now in the parking area, safely on a tarp and under another tarp and she can pick it up anytime. I told her it's all going to the CURB on Monday morning if nobody collects it. She says she 'had a family emergency' and isn't in town. Like anyone really believes that one? I've learned. So if she wants her junk, then she better get it herself, or rush home from where ever she is right now, or get a FRIEND to pick the stuff up for her. She just wants to have everything HER way. I'm not playing the game anymore. I'm not answering any more of her emails now. No need. Let's see what happens next.

Please stick to your guns and DON'T give in or respond to her anymore. Every time you do, you put the ball back into her court.

Time to move on SortaB.

Stop responding to her.

Put her stuff out on the driveway...you've already given notice.

Complete the inventory of her items, declare it as instructed (if required) and then take the next steps with the inventory paperwork as instructed.

Keep chipping away at getting your house, patio and yard ready to rent.

Contact Good Will or another like business to come and collect her stuff after it's on the driveway.

I'd still take a photo of everything with a current newspaper in the photo to show the date. I agree with Soot and oldbroad... time to stop responding and move on. What do they say about having a battle of wits with an unarmed person?

Never argue with a rock...

Battle of wits with an unarmed person...yep, but the winner is: "Never argue with a rock..." Bahhahaaa! Loving that one soot!

Latest news is she wrote me just a few minutes ago. She is headed back to San Diego (so she says) and please please please don't put my stuff out for people to take, please, I will come and get it.

Yeah.....I'm not believing a word. Not arguing with the Rock...hehehe.
Stuff is still safely in the driveway under a nice big tarp, and ON a nice big tarp, tucked and clipped down all over. Very neat and tidy and ugly. Hope she comes tomorrow and gets it all. I'm not in a hurry to dispose of it. Don't wanna do the inventory bit and have no idea what to do with all her PERSONAL papers. Kids papers from school, over due bills, denials from various agencies, some very important stuff probably in there like birth certificates etc. Looks like everything paper that needs to be saved. I'm not putting any of that out for the neighborhood to go through.

Such a mess she made, BUT the house is looking GREAT. Everything is fixed (pump and plumbing), Everything is CLEAN, Very nice. Went to Home Depot where I have a charge for all my needed repair stuff, and was going to rent a rug shampooer. Ended up buying a Shampooer that wasn't advertised as being in the store. Ended up saving 70 bucks on the shampooer as an unadvertised price reduction special, got a huge bottle of cleaner (recommended by the clerk who uses it), at 1/4 the price of the name brand. Took it home and learned how to use it (never had used a rug shampooer ever). After about 2 hours of pretty hard work (except that the shampooer did all the work) I saw a VERY clean rug that I am proud of again. Wow. Well worth the $153 bucks I spent for it all. Yeah. And I can use it again and again. So simple, just a lot of elbow grease required. Never thought those stains would come out.

Ready to RENT. Typing up the ads now and getting my game plan in order. Wish me luck!

Sounds like you are in the last throes of this dreadful saga. I like the rock one too! Sounds to me like she may have realized you were no longer going to lay down and let her walk all over you. I was a little concerned that she would just get even more vindictive and cause more trouble.


So, GOOD LUCK!

Sorta

Hope your next renter is an angel. You deserve it

Put the FOR RENT signs on the doors of the house. Off street so no one will see unless I alert them to the rental. After contacting a few that I know might be interested, I will list on Zillow and then maybe post a sign out front. Lots of Lookers when I do that, but ya never know who might just be the 'one'. That's how I rented THIS house in 1978 , Saw a tiny sign in the dark on the way to get fast food and have been here for 40+ years now. Yeah, feeling batter about the house and everything. HOPE she actually appears today to get her things, if not, she's just playing games again.

Best of luck moving foward Sorta. We are all pulling for you.

She actually came today and got a 'few' things. Didn't contact me, just went down the driveway to the pile and carefully removed the clips I'd secured one side with and poked around for 15 minutes, getting some small stuff and packing it into her (what I call the old lady shopping cart), wheeled basket thingie. Couldn't really tell what she took except I did see her take an old VCR. Probably going to sell it. She carefully put the clips back (much neater than I had them) and off she went, walking towards the main street. My 89 year old neighbor and partner in crime, a member in good standing of the Oxford Street Ladies Detective Agency (formed when we had that Squatter's house snafu) actually got in her car and followed her to see where she was going. Tracked her to the main street, watched her to North and past several 'landmarks', PASSED the storage unit she says she rented, passed the bus stop, and then she lost her 3 streets up when a FedEx truck blocked the view. We are assuming she went up that side street where there is a huge Apartment/Condo complex. Probably camping out in there with someone, OR might have actually managed to rent one. All the stuff she took was small like sheets, that VCR, a box of something. Can't look under tarp for fear she will remember how she clipped it and accuse me of tampering with her stuff. Yeah, she's like that. So she finally wrote an email later, asking for just a 'bit more time because she owes a 'late fee' on the storage unit and they won't let her into it, blah blah blah." I don't believe a word. She's only had the unit for THREE weeks. How late can it be? Always some excuse. Hopefully she actually has a place and can come to get more and more stuff. I'm willing to just let it sit in the driveway (where it's not bothering anything) and have her grab what she can. I kind of am now attached to the huge blue tarp mountain, and the Feral cats are loving it. Playing on it, sleeping on it, probably crawling in and out of the gaps at the bottom. Lots of fun for everyone. Let's see what happens today. Wheeeeee!

HOUSE looking great. I'm proud of it and all my efforts. Now to get those ads going. I'm really apprehensive about listing it. Gotta get back in the game now. NEED income.

Personally, she doesn't seem too concerned with her "stuff." I'm sure the feral cats are having a heyday under the tarp, peeing on everything!

Yes Drac, one can only h ope the ferals are doing their thing. Actually only one sprays anything. Most are neutered and the others haven't figured out the pecking order yet. As for the 'damage' from such stuff, SHE is one who unclipped and reclipped the tarp so it's going to be HER fault...bahhhaaaaaa.

Posted the AD on Zillow last night. For some reason, I think they actually showed the address, which I didn't want, but I will have to check today to see what's up. Hard to figure out how they got it wrong AND included some pictures from my posting in 2018. Oh well...things to do.

Hope all is progressing in your favor Sorta Blonde

Be sure you don't violate any city ordinance with the "pile" out on your driveway

Keep smiling!

Ah soot, no problem with the city. My property is 90x300 ft, 2/3 of an acre, my house sits in front, a long 200 ft driveway goes beside it down to the two rentals. One way drive narrow, but it opens up past my house into a HUGE parking area. Room for 8 vehicles all neatly parked with room to back out and large enough for a fire truck or other huge vehicle to have access to the back house and empty vacant lot behind. Awesome property. Private drive with nobody but me and my tenants going in or out. Our little cul-de-sac if you can picture it. The original owners did some great planning.

As for the PILE, SHE promises now that it will be gone by this Thursday. Says she is moving into a place. Gave me the street name but not number. I don't believe a word she says but it's some sort of hope. You can't even see it from the street. Hope she drives by or her friend does and can't see the stuff and panics. Yeah, that would be great. My neighbor suggested I clean out some of my old stuff and put it on the street for people to take FREE as I usually do and then hope SHE sees that and goes nuts thinking it's her stuff. Ah, how great it is for neighbors to suggest fun stuff.

Got 2 people coming for 'viewings' of the rental today. One at 10 am and one at 5 pm. Going to be tied up all day I guess IF they show up. So far, about 8 have asked for showings and NONE of them have written back with a definite day or time. Happens a lot when you post things on Zillow or Craig's List. They ask, then they don't show. Takes up my time, but thankfully I'm right here and don't have to drive over and wait wait wait. I think it's a game people play and then secretly laugh, thinking the poor Landlord is wasting time sitting and waiting. I know some Landlords who go through that a lot. Today, hope both show up. AND next Monday, the retired Pharmacist from way up North is flying down to look at my place and a few others. She is my favorite so far. Has FIVE cats. What more can you ask for? Hard to find a place that will rent to 5 cats. I don't mind at all. This might work if she likes the place.

So far, no real promising renters. All have huge families (I am willing to max out at 4 and even that is a lot). They keep adding more people and I know the sewer pump and my water bill can't handle it. They don't read the AD I carefully wrote. Amazing. I have to go over every little criteria each time. Makes me wonder. Desperate people, looking for some place, don't care what just to get out of whatever mess they are currently in. I have a temporary subscription to one of those 'truth' sites and have found at least 2 that wanted to see the place have several evictions! I even said in the ad, no evicitons, no bankruptcies, no felony convictions. Found a few felons too. Wow. People lie.

Hope I find the right person this time and no more drama.

Just curios. Are you allowed to say that stuff in the ad without "discriminating"?

Yeppers oldbroad. I can't discriminate on the basis or sex, marital status, race, disabilities, age and all that, but I can restrict the number of occupants and definitely can refuse to rent to anyone with evictions, felony convictions, bankruptsies, or other financial problems. All can be found on the Superior court site as public viewable records. Wish I knew about that before I got the Tenant from Hell. I follow the HUD guidelines. Got into trouble with the last nasty tenant because I wasn't allowed, by law, to ask about her son's mental disability. Couldn't ask what type, etc. She finally told me as she was moving out, but I couldn't ask. She ended up using HIM against me in court to file a challenge to the eviction which he signed and had no idea what it was. She finally recanted after we made a 'deal'. How awful to use her handicapped son as a weapon. Now HIS name is permanently on an Eviction for all to see. Terrible thing to do to him. Can't ask about medical problems other than if they might need special accomodations or equipment in the house. Very strict laws in Calif.

Sorta hope the retired 5 cat lady is the one! Good Luck and keep us updated.

I'd also JUMP at the retired 5 cat lady!

I am so waiting for the Cat Lady and hoping she decides she wants to stay awhile. Cheaper places in Mexico (Baja, Rosarito Beach) but there is the complications of 5 cats to transport and maybe get 'clearance' for. Don't know the laws about that. Waiting for the mailman to see if her application finally will make it today. She said she was mailing it Sunday, but maybe it went out Monday, etc. Just want something simple for awhile. Still finding stuff that needs fixing. Now the toilet tank back is leaking around 20 year old rusted bolts. Easy fix, but I'm going to have to get my plumber back to fix that. Can't be bending over and under a toilet at this stage of my life. Ugh. More money to spend that I don't have yet. He's VERY good and doesn't charge like the big companies. Only downside is he only works weekdays, no holidays, and not before 10 am, etc. I know his system so we get along great. AND he listens to what I want, and actually follows my instructions and lets me buy my own parts to save money. Yep. A Keeper for sure even with the strange hours.

No new applicants since Monday. Geeeee. But then I only listed the house on last Wednesday, 7 days. Gotta chill out I guess. Still have to take the Trolley into the Central Courthouse downdown and get a copy of the LAST paperwork from the Sheriff which details the final Lock Out. Need it for my files. AND today, SHE says she's moving into a place and will have all her stuff gone. Yeah....really? Honest? Ha!

So, when is the tarp coming off and leaving it for the scavengers?!

Well Draclvr, SHE actually appeared yesterday evening and took 'selected' items. Weird. 2 empty clothes baskets (she emptied them), an empty box for a vacuum cleaner (she left the cleaner), a few sheets and curtains I'd yanked down off the windows and carefully folded into a plastic bag, AND one of the 2 huge containers of Paperwork. One still remains, Oh and the rails for the twin bed, but not the head or foot board. Go figure. I'm assuming she's coming back as she really neatly and carefully redid the tarps. She's neat for sure, but not too bright when it comes to organization. She put a few little items out front for Free. They are gone now overnight. Soooooo I give her today. If things are not gone, I will write an email telling her TIME IS UP. Tarps are being removed Sunday night. All remaining items are going out to the sidewalk on Monday Morning. Period. Hope she heeds the warning. I mean it. Time to remove all her junk since I've been storing and moving it around for FREE for a month now. Gotta get rid of the huge blue 'mountain' in my driveway.

The huge blue mountain won't look good to prospective new renters either. You know, ones who PAY their rent.

The mountain is history! I finally gave up and told her what I thought of her and her constant stalling and told her the STUFF was going out front if she didn't come and get it NOW. She said her friend had a flat tire and no spare and she couldn't come back for the last load. I said I didn't care, stuff was going out front for neighbors to pick through the next morning. Well I only got a nasty note back which made no sense about 'people looking at the pile of stuff cause I put it there'. Yeah blame me again. So she got another earful of things I wasn't saying and I think I got it all said. Next day, stuff went out front after I carefully laid it all out (garbage stuff and all) and took pictures to prove what was left. Got my friend to help me get the mattresses out (one double and a twin set) all in bad shape. I thought I'd for sure have to call the trash company to get them and they require us to plastic wrap mattresses before pick up. Yep they do. BUT someone took all 3 in the first 1/2 hour. After that, most of the stuff disappeared and by the next morning, nothing was left but a stained sheet, and some bent curtain rods. Neat! So easy to get rid of things here if they are FREE.

AND I think I have a new RENTER. Yeah. After a few Applicants and a load of people asking for appointments and never writing back when I said name a time, I finally showed the house about 20 times and got 3 applications. One wasn't too truthful but fairly nice family, the other neglected to pay me the 5 buck fee but never returned the applications anyway, I really hoped they wouldn't, and the last one, just yesterday, was a nice guy, who lives alone except for his older daughter being with him for a few months relocating from a city up North. Met her today. NICE people. I offered the place to them and think they may take it. Pretty sure. So for awhile it's 52 year old dad, 27 year old daughter and 9 year old granddaughter. Hoping this works. He's employed and makes good money, and very nice as is the daughter. Liked them a lot. Smart, funny, capable, both employed, Wow.

Letcha know how this one goes. Ha.

Wishing you luck in the days ahead Sorta!

So glad you were able to close the book on your last tenant!

Good for you Sorta on getting rid of the "mountain"!

Good luck with a new start!

And of course you told her she lived there rent free for months and maybe you will even try to collect on the $3,000 judgement against her? Probably no point. At least it's gone... I'd dearly love to have been in on all the things you finally got said! I was kinda hoping for the "cat lady," but this guy sounds good too!

I was hoping for the cat lady too Draclvr. I wonder if Sorta heard back from her?

Sorta, I have been watching this post for a while and hoping the best. I think you finally got it - with getting rid of the witch from hell. I am so hoping that you have a nice good tenant now. Plus I really hope that that witch lady doesn't come after you with something evil down the road. Evil people always seem to crop up out of nowhere to cause havoc.

Hope all goes well for you now, Sorta Blonde, and your new tenant does right by you

Oh I guess I forgot to say that the Cat Lady, who came and saw the place and liked it, went to Rosarito Mexico the next day with a realtor and rented a place in an Expat area. Don't know exactly why she wanted to leave the US so much, but she gave me a hint which I won't mention. I'd for sure not leave a home of 30 years to move to another country 900 miles away, that I had never even visited just to 'escape'. I wish her well, but luckily this guy showed up and seemed to fit all the requirements. He's even volunteered to put the 'refit' kit on the toilet tank in himself, saving my back or another Plumber call. Nice! Maybe this one will actually do something around the house to keep it in shape. Seems to be pretty savvy about repairs and all that. Daughter is delightful. Smart, funny, both very personable. Lets hope this works out. Can't be any worse than the last mess. I'm optimistic at this point. Waiting for him now to bring the rest of the security since things happened so fast he didn't have time to get to the bank for the cash. I require first pay in cash and then checks are OK later. Amazing how many fake checks (even ones that look like certified or cashier's checks' are faked. Works well when you know the pitfalls.

Sorta, maybe cat lady was concerned about deportation? Glad to hear you have reason to be optimistic with new renter.
Keep us updated.

Nope Gerry, American Citizen all her life. It was 'political'. Very interesting view on the world from her. I think she just wanted to run away from everything. Hope she found what she wanted. I would be scared to death to uproot after 30 years, take FIVE cats and move to a foreign country all by myself!

I'm thinking it is better that she did not rent from you Sorta!

Yes, I suspect that the woman with the cats may have had other issues. Fingers crossed that everything works out with the new renter.

So sad about Cat Lady ... politics is really a 3-ring circus at the moment ... has been like that in the past too that I've read from history books

Hope the latest prospect is the one Sorta!

Well the NEW kids on the block have moved in. Took them all of a few hours and about 10 people and 3 pickup trucks to do the whole thing. Not sure who is actually there now. Dad, daughter, met the granddaughter (an adorable 7 year old hugging her bear). BUT there is an extra truck parked since last night and it's in the other house's parking spot. I'm waiting to ask about it. Other guy (my friend) isn't too concerned, but I'm ready to make sure that the 'rules' are followed. They have 3 spots marked for them and now they have taken 4. Hummmm Maybe someone is staying for a few days to help them settle in. I will know soon. Will wait patiently. Ha, like I can ever do that? Anyway, very quiet, nothing weird so far except I'm still waiting for the picture ID's to be presented along with paycheck stub. We signed the contract on Saturday and keys were given yesterday. I guess I'm just in a hurry to get everything wrapped up in a nice little package. I KNOW he works because he drove in tonight in his COMPANY truck. BIG truck marked with the company's name on the doors. It will take awhile for me to get used to newbies. Hoping it all goes well. As long as they PAY me I think I will survive. Finally paid a mortgage payment (still owe Jan-July) but we will work it out. Actually had CASH to get some much needed stuff I'd put off. AND I finally had some money to send in my renewal for my Passport. Whew. Nice to actually have cash money around. I've been living on nothing for months and months. My fridge actually looks full. Wow. So I'll keep the updates until the entire world settles down and things get boring. Hoping that they DO get boring. Yup.

Fingers crossed for ya!

Me too! Same as oldbroad!

Hope all is well Sorta!

So it's been a week now since the newbies moved in. So far nothing horrible has happened. The only snafu is the 'musical vehicle game'. Yeah. Still playing with more than 3 cars/trucks and I can't figure out whose car is whose because they will drive one in, then maybe another arrives and then they SWITCH drivers in cars and trucks. Weird. Nice family, not making any noise, not doing anything strange yet. Example of musical vehicle game: I spoke to Dad and told him not to park 4 vehicles when he had 3 spots and not to park in the neighbor's spot. That day, the 4th vehicle went away. OK. THEN Daughter went to work after being home a few days and she got home at 11:30 at night. She clearly had another adult female with her. Next morning at 5ish, daughter went to work in her red car. BUT the other female didn't appear. Later, another silver car pulled in around noon with male and female and went inside. Male went back out and came with fast food and left after a bit. So now I think I can count 2 females in the house, neither of which live there. Oh and the 7 year old kiddo. THEN another white car came. I recognized the gal cousin I'd met and she went in. Count is now 3 girls in house and the kiddo. Cousin in white car, switched CARS ! Left her car and took the Dad's car? She was gone all day and night and came back after dark. Daughter came home about 3pm and then went out with the 2 other adult females AND the kiddo in the red car. She returned at 12:30 am alone. Cousin with Dad's car returned around 8ish and took her white car again. Ugh. Never gonna figure this out. AND Dad's Huge work truck came in around 3 pm. So still 3 cars, neatly (almost) parked. At least I think I got the message across about the 3 spots. AND today, I will be figuring out how many there are down there, but I think the other 2 adult females were babysitting the 7 year old since it was Saturday and no school. Wow. Fun stuff. Still hoping this will work great. Got good vibes so far. Won't be able to guess why the daughter is living with the dad (temporarily so she says). I think there is a divorce or baby daddy thing going on. She says he's in Texas and won't be a problem. AND the Dad did a load of wash so now I know (really didn't want to) that he wears Tidy Whites and 'wife beater' T's. Ha. All nice and bright white hanging on the line. THEY are settling in. Can't believe it's only been a week as of tonight. Whew!

And nothing more from the bat "youknowwhat" crazy cheating tenant?

Nope Drac, not a word, not a sighting, but I did talk to our Mailman today and he is looking for her new address. She hasn't filed a change of address, but he managed to luck out and took an extra shift on the very street she says she moved to. If she wasn't lying, he might be able to find her apartment or house number. He will be on the lookout. Oh boy.

In other Tenant news: WOW.... for the first time in almost a year, I have witnessed a tenant WATERING plants! I'm so thrilled. I gathered all the succulent plants that SHE tried to kill by ignoring them and put them all in one little corner in the front. HE was out there just now with his grand daughter watering the succulents! I'm so happy. Maybe he will be just what the place needed and actually DO something to keep it nice and improve it. Wow woooooo. AND I'm pretty sure that for the past two days, his daughter has been shopping and I think I saw her bring home at least 2 house plants. Yep, a hanging plant and something tall in a pot. Nice. I had left them 2 'pineapple' plants, 2 grass thingies and a few others (caladiums) since I had them for 'staging' the house and she expressed interest in them. Nice to see some 'normal' people who care. Hope this continues and I have many happy stories to tell.

Wouldn't that be wonderful! Kinda looking forward to some GOOD stories!

Sorta

So far so good. It will be 2 weeks on this Sunday they moved in. Whew! Nothing really bad happening yet, but I'm still shell shocked from the previous mess. Cars come and go, Dad leaves around 5 in the AM and drops off the grand daughter somewhere. Only gone 20 minutes tops so it's not far. Son (who doesn't live here) appears with his car and both Dad and son get picked up in the huge work truck driven by who knows. Usually about 5:15 am. Alternated days, Son and Dad leave in Son's car and Dad comes home with the work truck. Musical Vehicles. Son leaves car here all day on the days they get picked up by someone in the truck and then stays awhile after coming home after a LONG day. Sometimes 12 hours gone. Daughter leaves about 4:30 am most days and comes home around 4ish with the daughter. Long days for everyone. Quiet down there, no loud music, nothing to complain about. Ha. Could just be these are the perfect tenants I've been waiting for. Reserving opinion for a month or so. Hoping it's going to be great.

Just sounds like some very hard-working people to me. And a positive cash flow - doesn't get any better than that!

Hoping for the best Sorta

I may just get bored. Nothing much to watch except the interchange of vehicles and people. Still ttrying to put faces and body types with vehicles. Dad and son have similar black cars and same height but one is thinner. Since BOTH drive each other's cars sometimes, it's hard to tell who is here. Son appeared today to wait for the COX guy. Then ATT showed up, which was strange since they were here last week. But I guess something wasn't done right and they have been here for hours. No Cox yet, but after an hour, one of the girls came with the 2 kids. She took over for the son who left. Then ANOTHER girl came an hour later and took over for the first girl. Kids left with first girl Confused yet? So far still the second girl in the silver car that I see more often than the other in the white car. Whew! ATT working, no Cox, can hardly wait to see if BOTH of them are there together. Could be fun.

Boring is good! So far your surveillance sounds like normal people doing normal people things!

We are still playing baby baby who has the babies today. Extended family and they seem to take turns as to who has kids all day or night. Last night Granddad (my tenant) picked up the resident kid and brought her home from school. Resident Mom of the kid appeared later, but not until Cousin came with her little boy. THEN a truck pulled up out front (never saw it before) and cousin and little boy walked out and picked up a baby girl and back to the house. The truck drove off, FULL of people. Cousin stayed until 11 pm and left with boy and girl. Daughter who lives here and has her daughter (confused yet?) left this morning at 7. But Granddad took the little girl to somewhere (babysitter?) at 6 and then he got picked up at 6:30 by the work truck which seems to have a shared use. Sometimes it's here, sometimes another guy has it. Yesterday around noon, another guy was driving and Dad got out and they had a 'beer' lunch. Other guy took the truck home and probably was him this morning picking up the dad. Can't keep track of all of the people and cars and movements in and out. Some sort of system that I will eventually learn. They all seem to have it worked out as to who has what kids and where they are staying. So far only one night that I can tell did anyone other than MY tenants stay the night. Geez. AND Dad asked yesterday if he could please water the yard and plant grass? Wheeee. Finally someone is interested in doing something with the horrible yard. He even said he would pay for the extra water. I will keep track of the bills and see if it's excessive. I doubt it will be more than my last (evicted) gal. SHE used more than anyone in 40 years here. So for now, things are still OK, I think . Time will tell and things will probably settle down after they have been here a few months. Right now it's all new to everyone. DID find an eviction for the daughter. Yep. She neglected to tell me. Oh well. Was 3 years back, and it eventually was dismissed. She probably just moved out and the Leasing company dropped the case even though they had won in court with her as a non-respondent. I'm not going to mention it to her, but at least I know she is not totally honest. Helps to know who I am dealing with. That's probably why she was so hesitant in giving me her picture ID. I finally got it and was able to pin point the eviction stuff given her full name. Lots of people have same names on court records and they don't tell you birthdates, etc. Makes it hard to figure out. BUT the address given was her old address. There was also a harrassment care filed by her against probably her brother, and also same by another girl same time. Also dropped. Probably just a family squabble. She did say she and her brother argue a LOT. Heard them a few nights ago. Just brother/sister stuff. I'm not worried yet. Dad is paying the rent and makes good money. Crossing fingers for continued peace and quiet.

It all sounds pretty "extended family living together" normal so far!

If I ever thought someone was watching me, oh the things I would do!!

"Like sands through the hourglass... so are the Days of Our Lives."

Space Quest, I could hear that announcer so clearly in my head!

Yep, I'm officially a stalker. At least for now. Still shell shocked over the whole eviction thing and trying to make sure that nothing gets past me on this new crew. So far they seem pretty normal, happy, gainfully employed. Neat. BUT there are a million of them. Today I met the SECOND ex wife and her daughter and that daughter's THREE kids. Wow. Add them to the daughter living here from wife #2 or maybe 3? And then the son from wife who knows. Seems he's been a busy guy. Loads of kids and even more grand kids. All of them seem to get along and visit all day and night here. Never know just how many really are staying. Common around here for someone to rent a place and them move in all the relatives hoping you won't notice. I will notice. Sort of reminds me of Ed TV movie where some poor guy was being watched day and night and was on a reality TV show not really knowing about it. Fun. Time will tell.

In other news: SHE contacted me last night! Yes she did. It's been exactly 2 months since the Sheriff locked her out. I was hoping never to hear or see her again. BUT now she says she wants to PAY me the rent she owes and hopes I will agree to fix her bad credit due to the eviction. Yeah? Well she's not happy that the court order is $3300. for 2 months, and then 2 more months added not on the court order that it took to get her gone. I agreed to 'mask' the eviction with the court IF she paid me the original $3300. She would have to get her own lawyer (free of course for her) to do the paperwork which I would happily sign if she gave me the $3300. She says she doesn't have the total 3300 and would have to make payments. OK by me except she seems to be asking me to CLEAR the eviction/credit problems before she pays me. Not gonna happen. She still thinks I'm stupid. More info when she finally gets back to me on what she intends to do. Probably won't see a dime because I think she's just playing with me again. Anyone got a magic spell for disappearing an ex tenant?

I know the money sounds great and can't blame you for trying to recoup some, but hiding her eviction means that others will fall victim to her. I'd make her pay ALL her rent owed from day 1 before I'd consider giving her anything.

yes, I agree with BET. now that she is out of the picture, you don't want somebody else to get screwed by that terrible person. It would be nice to get that money though- that is a lot of money that she owes you. but, what a scammer. I hate scammers. I just read about some 80 some year old woman that got fleeced by the SS scam for all of her money. I could readily harm someone that does that to an old person.

I agree with Ana and mbday. Hiding her eviction will just set her up to do the same thing to another landlord. I'd tell her she needs to pay the court ordered $3300 and YOU won't cause her any more trouble.

I’m with Ana and Drac. Helping her to hide the eviction would be dishonest, and possibly illegal. You shouldn’t even consider enabling her bad behavior. Perhaps the court should be advised that she tried to get you to help her.

Confusion abounds. Sorry. Masking the eviction means that while the eviction shows up under her name when you do a search on the court site, the 'fine' details do not. In other words, it shows eviction and date, but not whether it was dismissed, settled before she got tossed out, etc. It would then be up to the 'next victim' to petition the court to look at the actual records instead of just seeing them on the computer. As it is now, you can look up a name, see the eviction filings date by date, and when what happened. You can't see the actual 'paperwork' filed by each party or what the judge ordered. For that, you have to actually go to the courthouse, use their computers, read the documents page by page, and request a copy (pay for) if you want them. Masking would prevent anyone from actually reading anything paperwise unless they fill out the forms, pay a small fee, and check out the FILE from the records department, which they can then read and have to do it right there in front of the clerks. No copies can be made. Just makes it a bit harder for anyone to get the play by play information on who said what, and when, and all that good stuff. Of her SIX previous evictions that I finally found, 4 of them were masked and only 2 could be seen. Enough to let me know I'd made a terrible mistake and was too late to avoid the consequences. In any case, I really don't think she intends to pay me anything. She just enjoys the back and forth so she can feel she is in control. So far, she has written me 2 emails, both vague, wanting me to fill in the details and probably wants me to say: "sure, I'll just undo the entire eviction for you cause you are such a nice person." Ha. She has no idea that I cannot UNDO the eviction, cannot prevent someone from seeing it on her record (along with her arrests for various stuff) and the harassment cases filed on her. She's not that smart. I think she's under the impression that potential creditors are finding something on her actual CREDIT reports that say she owes money for an eviction. That information can only be put there by ME and I'm not about to do that yet. She might be wiley, but not too bright. Then again, here we are again, SHE is inserting herself into my life. So tired of it all. I have better things to do like gardening, feeding feral cats, possums, skunks, raccoons and saving mice and lizards from their clutches.

I agree with Ana, MBDay and Drac! Hiding her eviction will just set her up to do the same thing to another landlord...I am thinking she is a scammer and her record should be left "as is" for others to note.

I would tell (email) her she needs to pay the court ordered $3300.

Nothing about masking her record!

Again hopefully I can explain the 'masking' so it makes sense. It does not HIDE the eviction, it only makes it difficult for anyone to actually read all the documents associated with it and see the little details. The actual documents (singed by both parties and the judge) will not be available unless you petition the court and pay a fee to see them. They will still see her name and her son's name on the eviction, the date of the Sheriff lockout, the judge's granting of $3300. judgment etc. The Unlawful Detainer as it is legally called, is a public document, able to be seen by anyone after the first 60 days after filing. Before that, you have to know both parties and the address of the house in question. After the 60 days is up all you need is to type in a name and everything appears. I can't wipe out the eviction even if I wanted to do that. Public Records stay on the books for several years and then are archived but you can still access them in a different clerk's office for 'older' records. That's how I found 4 of her 6 evictions and was able to read what happened, what everyone wrote, complaints and responses, etc.

She still isn't giving up. Now she's yelling at me about me not wanting to cooperate with her. I'm amused. Always MY fault no matter what. Her actual offer is : She gives me a small 'deposit' and a promise to pay the rest of the $3300. in installments and in return I immediately sign the document clearing her debt from the eviction record. Yeah? She really is either on some very good drugs or living on some other planet. She even wrote me a last scathing email when I told her we were done with this since she knew what she must do, and told me she had it all set to send me 'payments directly from her account on the 27th of each month'. My question is, how could she possibly know a debit date when we have NO agreement at all? She's lying again as usual. I'm so done with this but she probably isn't done with her tirade. I still can't figure how she thinks the eviction judgment is somehow on her CREDIT rating? It cannot possibly be there unless I notify the credit reporting agencies myself that a debt is owed. I'm not telling her that information. Wonder why she thinks that? So for now, I get no money, wasn't going to anyway, despite her 'promises' and we are back to hopefully never hearing from her again.

Put a restraining order on her and have her pay restitution to the court and they will forward to you.

Yes, just stop dealing directly with her. Stop giving her that satisfaction. Go through the court system if you think it will help you get any money. I would think that would be the proper way to do it anyway. But no "masking" of anything. Why make it tougher for the next person like it was for you?

I never intended to go after her for the money owed. Just going to write it off on my income tax. Less income, less tax. She seems to be trying to do something about clearing up her credit. I didn't report her, but maybe the credit bureaus picked it up on their own and it's preventing her from buying a car or getting a credit card? Not sure. Never said I was going after her. Just wanted her to go away and stop bothering me. Money is the least on my list of things to do right now. I have 10 years to collect anyway. Maybe since she stupidly added her mentally disabled kid to the Eviction, it's his credit that is ruined. She used him a lot to get services (tv, phone, etc). Dunno why she's now trying to 'negotiate'. I just told her to stop bothering me if she isn't interested in paying the money which SHE offered, and I didn't ask for. Her last email sounded like a threat of something she might do. Hopefully she will just leave me alone. I still have that harassment suit (along with the restraining order) that I started and then suspended. I can continue it if she won't stop bothering me. Hopefully she will find someone else to 'play with'. I was so happy for 2 months that she was gone. Now she's probably missing me.

I have a feeling you are going to have to restart that lawsuit for harassment and a restraining order. This individual is not "right" in the head and I would be quite concerned about what she might do. It's easy to put a block on her email.

Oh yes, I'd love to block her from my life. Thought we were done and now she's being stupid again. I left it at don't contact me again and hope she will listen. Probably not. Harassment paperwork just needs updating and it's good to go with the latest emails and her threat about what might happen next since I'm not willing to 'deal' with her. Judge will love that one and ask her to explain. Don't want to go to anymore court stuff, but can if I need to. Such a strange gal. She wants everything her way or no way. I'm really thinking that the credit agencies might have picked up the eviction themselves, but no way to know. Not my fault if they did. Can't remove the eviction and it stands for 7 years on the court records. Her fault. Probably tried to get some services or credit in her son's name and it came up with his name on my eviction. She did that to herself and him. Nothing new this morning, but I'm assuming she wants the 'last word' so I'm not safe yet. Not answering any more emails (which makes her even madder). I'll be checking court records daily to see if she has filed a small claims against me for the loss of ALL of her precious junk that she refused to pick up. I took massive pictures of all of it and have no fear she would not win a case. Junk, finally disposed of, documented, massive emailing to her to pick it up and more than double the time to do it and all for FREE storage. Hope that's not what she's planning with her little threat about 'you know what comes next!!!' as she put it. Oh well....more real life to deal with. Hope she finds someone else to annoy .

UPDATE: Now she's uped the offer. When I said I would not talk to a 'manager' to convince them to rent her whatever she has in mind (which would of course mean I'd have to lie about her) she upped the offer from $300 to $1000. I can't figure out it she's offering a bribe, or blackmailing me into lying for her so she can get the new place? In any case, I'm not doing it, told her so, she spit out a ton of nasty comments about how I go back on my word, etc. And then said if I didn't like it, I could 'block' her emails. Hope she meant that as I'm not continuing the negotiations which she seems to enjoy. Hope this is over. If I ever get a check or money order in the mail, I will be completely shocked.

UPDATE #2. My new Tenant guy just came up with the rent money for September! Hooray! I can finally breathe again. All in cash because he says he has no bank account (yet). I'm not sure why. Not my problem. So we are good. He even paid me for the one day he didn't have to (Aug 1 he hadn't signed contract yet) so I said not to pay that day on month 2. He did anyway and said to keep it for the water extra that he's using so he can grow grass in the woefully ignored back yard. Wow. Nice of him. I noted it on the receipt. It will come in handy should the water use go up a lot. So I can finally breathe again and I'm feeling so much more optimistic. Hope this saga of the bad bad tenant is over.