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It's a viscious circle - hence the reason I would NEVER attempt my hand at becoming a "landlord"...not in this economy! It's an investment - you have to take the good with the bad but most of all...know how to handle tenant eviction like an adult!
It isn't a viscious circle, it is a linear cause and effect.
A can't pay B, therefore B can't pay C. It all starts with A- if they can't make the payment, then the entire system breaks down.
Granted, the landlord is being a jerk for being so aggressive, but the OP didnt pay, and it sounds like he is unfortunately on track to consistently not pay on time. They should aggressively be seeking less expensive accomodations.
I agree the LL was an ahole for what he did.
My dad had a 2 family house, his tenant was the pits, damage to the apartment plus was not only late but bounced checks. When my dad moved, the guy was 2+ months behind.
We never did any of that. At one point we started writing letters but that was it. My dad knew how hard it was to find a tenant and he dealt with it due to that. The apartment would go for months at a time before he was able to rent it out.
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Originally Posted by tjumper78
Well, he came banging on my door again this morning. He tried to force his way into the house (looked like he did not want to be seen by the neighbors) but backed off when I told him that he was trespassing.
What type of housing? Is this an apartment complex, multiple family house or single home?
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Originally Posted by tjumper78
Anyway, I could only tell him the same thing. "I can only pay you by the 25th.". I offered almost half of the rent because that is what I actually have now but the LL wants the full rent NOW.
You should have written him a check right then and there.
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Originally Posted by tjumper78
He keeps on saying that I need to be reasonable about this kind of stuff. Well, I think I am being reasonable by promising him that he would get his money by the 25th. Sure, it is late but that is the best I can do right now. Yes, it is unfair for him to get his money late and I really hate to pay late for what I owe. But what do I do if I do not have that money right now?
I got a 25% paycut from my job last month. My wife got a paycut as well. Things do not always work out so well.
Depending on what type of housing, we don't know how many other tenants haven't paid either. He's also probably stressed that you're now going to be behind a month. I'm not saying he's right for freaking out because he is not.
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Originally Posted by tjumper78
FYI, the LL is a long-time and well-known dentist. He always brags about it, and gets ticked off when I call him Mr. XXXXX instead of Dr. XXXXX. He always brags about the town/place he lives in and other finer things he has. Yet, he is banging on my door over a rent that is not even 2 weeks late. I am not saying all dentists are rich. I am certainly not saying that he should cover my rent because he is a rich dentist. I really want to pay what I owe and I am going to do it but it's just going to take a little longer than usual but he does not want to accept that fact.
I'm pretty surprised he's freaking out so much on you since it's the 1st time you've been late; and you'd think he'd have money set aside for things like this. I would have asked him how he'd pay when he didn't have a tenant there; and that right now he knows you're usually on time and would like to work with him so that you can stay there.
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Originally Posted by tjumper78
At this point, my family and I are actually discussing about moving to a new place. A cheaper place when my family hopefully does not have to be stressed out by an angry LL. If we do move out, I am going to pay what I owe, of course, before I do. But then I am extremely worried that I may not get the security deposit back since the LL is such an axxhole. Who knows what kind of excuses he is going to come up with to hold onto my deposit money.
How are you coming up with the 1st months rent plus security deposit when you don't have money to pay the March rent?
It's been almost a month since you posted. What ended up happening?
The first mistake was not noifying the landlord as soon as you knew you couldn't make the rent, which was probably at least a couple weeks before it was due. At that point you might have been able to diffuse the situation and offer weekly payments with a written contract.
Instead you avoid payment and the landlord for over three weeks, and then expect compassion. I can certainly understand the landlords anger--he probably has a mortgage which he has to pay, and relies on teh rent to make that payment. So your non-payment is affecting his ability to pay the mortgage--not fair to him. Despite what many people think, most landlords are not rich and do not make a profit off their rentals--the profit is the long term appreciation of the prioerty.
That said, he has no right to harrass you.
DO NOT get into a pissing match with him. Remain calm and simply ask what you can do--that you are able to do--to make him happy. If he continues in a harrassing manner, excuse yourself and call the police. He is committing a crime by banging on the door for ten minutes straight.
You are BOTH in the wrong--you for not paying the rent, and he for harrassment.
I would also suggest that you try to borrow the money from family and friends to make your April rent payment ON TIME, or he will have a very good cause to immediately give you 30 days written notice without going through the courts--perfectly legal as you have no lease.
By the way, he is not obligated to accept a partial rent payment, and could jeopardize his ability to collect the full rent if he takes a partial payment.
Also, it is perfectly legal for him to come to your door several times a day and ask for the rent. What is not legal is repeated banging on the door for ten minutes after you've already spoken to him.
OMG!!!! I completely understand what you are going through! I am looking for a place with my 17 year old daughter, and the rental properties are outrageous! You say you have lived there for over three years? He cannot come and harass you everyday like that after you already told him about the time that you will be getting paid. It sounds like he is arguing with you everyday even after you told him 3/25 is the day that I will be able to pay you. Your landlord, by law, is allowed to ask you for the rent if it is overdue, BUT he cannot not go overboard... that is considered harassment. (I have been in trouble in the past when I was unable to work due to a long illness). If he doesn't like the answer you gave him, he has the right to evict you. The eviction process is... He has to go to an attorney, and he has to ask the judge for an eviction notice... then you get served an eviction notice by the Sheriff with a court date. You will then have a your day in court and the judge will have to give you at least 30 days notice to move out of the house you are living in. By that time, you will have paid him some kind of money, and the judge will be leniant on you because you are trying your best to keep up and you did not ignore your landlord when he asked for money. Also, if you gave your landlord money before the court day... your case could be dropped by the judge because you paid by then. You may not even have to go to court if you paid before the court date.... you showed "good faith" in making a payment and you should write to the judge that you have paid up and your case will never even make it to court. If you are paid up before the date and you have written to the judge... he could dismiss the case entirely because there is no more complaint. I hope all of this makes sense... Also, you may want to borrow a few hundred from family just to keep your landlord at bay, and if you do have to go to court, the landlord is going to look like an idiot because you gave him a few hundred already. IF that happens, make sure you have a counterclaim of at least $2000 for harrassment and the judge may give you some money because the landlord would not leave you alone. I hope some of this makes sense... if not, just reply and I will try to find you something online that fits you situation. I hope you and your family are well by now. Shera
Let him keep knocking. I know it is very stressful though. It would take him 6 months to get you out. I lost my job on the way out of my apt. move. I paid him on the 1st. of every month for 14 years. He knocked on my door all the time the last three months. I moved out and owed him 3 months. I held one month back for no heat forever and a day for I do not know how many winters. I was forced to buy electric heaters. (he was a slumlord) I also held back a month for security. He lost a months rent with me in 14 years!
I could not move prior with all the problems of him being a slumlord because he did allow me to have my dogs there and he even fenced the yard for them!
My landlord had other tenants and they did not pay rent for six months, then moved. It went to court and did take that amount of time. They said they paid him cash. It was thrown out of court! My landlord lost!
A landlord's story:
I moved to Jersey in July while still owning a house in Brooklyn. August 1st came and I went to collect the rent from my tenants, who were living there for 5 years, they had the whole house, didn't have the money would mail it to me. Ok I left. August 15th came, still no rent, called them, they told me "how do we know you still own the house, you're in the process of selling it. Yes, I was but the house was still mine. Long story short, I never got August, Sept. or Oct. rent, they skipped out. The neighborhood community board told me to find them and sue them, it really wasn't worth the bother. I was glad to be rid of them and finally the house.
Don't be too quick to judge a landlord, they may have been burned before.
Too many landlords (myself included) have been burned by believing that a tenant's problems are temporary. A tenant will tell you anything to get you off their back for trying to collect past due rent. No good landlord takes excuses or sob stories of any kind.
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Originally Posted by gspereira
Just my two cents...
My opinion is that, if tjumper's "situation" is only temporary, then wouldn't it be better for the LL to work out a solution with him, rather than go through the task of finding a new tenant who will always pay on time. (like tjumper did for the last three years)?
Also, you may want to borrow a few hundred from family just to keep your landlord at bay, and if you do have to go to court, the landlord is going to look like an idiot because you gave him a few hundred already. IF that happens, make sure you have a counterclaim of at least $2000 for harrassment and the judge may give you some money because the landlord would not leave you alone.
Nice. An excerpt from "The Dirtbag's Guide to Beating the System".
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Overdue rent
It would take him 6 months to get you out. I lost my job on the way out of my apt. move. I paid him on the 1st. of every month for 14 years. He knocked on my door all the time the last three months. I moved out and owed him 3 months. I held one month back for no heat forever and a day for I do not know how many winters. I was forced to buy electric heaters. (he was a slumlord) I also held back a month for security. He lost a months rent with me in 14 years! 
