Illegal Basement and Mail Theft (apartment, lease, tenant, evict)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
To start off, I made this account to get suggestions and help from those who have been through the same situation.
I own a house, 3 floors, all rented out. The basement (front and rear) is rented out. The front was rented out to a family (wife, husband, son) and the rear basement is where I use to live. Last month when I moved out I took on the suggestion of renting it out to the front basement friends. The front basement have been living there for 1 year no issues what so ever. So I thought why not rent it out to his friends, they seem like decent people. Oh was I wrong. The husband of the front basement was caught by the 1st floor tenants (lived there for 15 years+) stealing mail and opening them. He also used the information and credit cards from the mail he have stolen to apply for new credit cards and use them. One of mine was stolen and used. I file a police report alone with the 1st floor tenant. The cops say unless we have hard evidence there's nothing they can do. They are trying to pull videos up from when he spent my credit card at. It's extremely surprising that they are so nice within the year and as soon as I up and leave they decided to do all this… On top of that their friends turned out to be seasonal squatters. One of them is a drug dealer who brought in a women who just came out of jail and another guy. They have been in the rear basement for less than a month and I have received numerous complaints of weed and noises. The cops have been called many times but they're not doing much. I told them that they had 30 days to leave but they refuse to cooperate. They party, smoke weed and bring about 30 people down to the basement every weekend since they moved in, mind you it is not that big to fit 30 people down there. I have contacted a lawyer and I'm planning to take them out to court. There is no written lease for either tenants front and rear because I know it is illegal. I just had really good luck with tenants in the past 20-30 years so this is my fault technically. I'm curious how long would it take to legally remove both of them? If I go to court there is fine for renting out illegal basement right? They haven't reside for more than 30 days, is there any other measure I can do to take care of them? Personally, if you smoke weed or whatever that's your own business but to bring people in every weekend and party and cause disruption to other tenants, that's the issue. On top of that the front basement stealing mail and credit cards. I just feel like I let in a bunch of low life into my house. I'm afraid they might get so high they will burn the house down without even realizing it. I'm installing cameras near the mailbox and throughout the hallways of the house this tuesday. I'm not sure if that would do much, but it would help give me a piece of mind for the moment.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. I don't mind paying fees and fines at this point, I just want them out ASAP. Thank you.
Best you stick with a lawyer's advice. You have dirty hands since your units are illegal dwellings. My only suggestion other than letting an attorney handle it is that, once you have these tenants out, you go through the process of having these units brought up to code and properly certified for occupancy.
Don't give ANY hint whatsoever to any of the other tenants that the rentals are illegal. It might get back to the problem tenants, who will use it against you however they can.
Get an attorney. Don't talk to the problem tenants or text with them. Let the attorney handle it all. You might slip and say the wrong thing.
Thank goodness for you that you don't have a long term lease. You should be able to give them proper notice to move out. And when they don't, your attorney goes forward with eviction. Much easier than having them with 11 more months on a lease.
Best you stick with a lawyer's advice. You have dirty hands since your units are illegal dwellings. My only suggestion other than letting an attorney handle it is that, once you have these tenants out, you go through the process of having these units brought up to code and properly certified for occupancy.
Now we know why housing is unaffordable to so many people.
Thank you for the advices and comments. My attorney is currently taking care of the matter. They have been serve a 30-day notice. Now it's just a waiting game. Will keep you guys updated!
Regarding the Credit Card fraud....Besides contacting the police....Did you contact the Credit Card company....They have a whole department at most major credit companies for just what you've described....They will get on it! There is major trouble for ID theft.....Hurry before they move out. Good luck to you on this.
And, please do keep updating.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
