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Old 07-30-2014, 08:40 PM
 
1 posts, read 869 times
Reputation: 10

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I am a newer landlord who has a tenant who disappeared from the property a few months ago. I will spare the details, but after a few months of cleaning and researching for Indiana law, I am left with a tenant who still owes me $528.

I do not have a current address for him. I do have his phone number, but he does not respond to texts or phone messages, and hasn't for about a month. I have found his Facebook page, but I have not given him any indication that I have found it, because I keep hoping I get a hint about where he is currently living.

Suggestions for collecting? Any way for me to find his address so I can send notices to him? Should I try a collection agency, and will they work with me when I do not have an address? Is a collection agency worth it for such a small amount? Advice?
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Old 07-30-2014, 09:46 PM
 
Location: Mostly in my head
19,855 posts, read 65,659,747 times
Reputation: 19375
Send him a certified, return receipt requested letter to his last known address - your place he rented. If the postal service forwards it, good. If not, keep it unopened if you do decide to go to court. I would be inclined to file clam in Small Claims Court to get it on his record. Not very expensive.
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Old 07-31-2014, 01:53 AM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
18,813 posts, read 32,336,193 times
Reputation: 38572
My father was an investigator and he taught me a neat trick.

You send a letter to the last known address, and write in an obvious hand "Do Not Forward" on the envelope.

What happens is, the post office will put the yellow sticker with the forwarding address on file, on the envelope and send it back to you. Then you have their new address.

This only works if he's put a forwarding address through the post office.

If that doesn't work, you could try running his credit again. The new credit report might include his new address.

Was he working? Do you know where he banks? If you have this info, the cheapest option might be to hire a service processor. Give them something they have to serve him with, and let them find him with this info.

Also, if you get a judgment, you can then go to his bank and get a levy on the funds in his account, without needing to know where he lives.

Good luck.
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Old 07-31-2014, 08:39 AM
 
Location: Tampa (by way of Omaha)
14,561 posts, read 22,992,862 times
Reputation: 10356
Quote:
Originally Posted by SouthernBelleInUtah View Post
Send him a certified, return receipt requested letter to his last known address - your place he rented. If the postal service forwards it, good. If not, keep it unopened if you do decide to go to court. I would be inclined to file clam in Small Claims Court to get it on his record. Not very expensive.
Suing someone requires serving them. Hard to do without a valid address.

Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe View Post
My father was an investigator and he taught me a neat trick.

You send a letter to the last known address, and write in an obvious hand "Do Not Forward" on the envelope.

What happens is, the post office will put the yellow sticker with the forwarding address on file, on the envelope and send it back to you. Then you have their new address.

This only works if he's put a forwarding address through the post office.
Why not just write "address correction requested" on the envelope? It does the same thing basically.

Quote:
If that doesn't work, you could try running his credit again. The new credit report might include his new address.
Bad idea, as this is an FCRA violation.
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Old 07-31-2014, 08:42 AM
 
Location: Des Moines Metro
5,103 posts, read 8,564,545 times
Reputation: 9793
Maybe try one of the reverse phone number look up and get a billing address? Warning: that may not be current or where he is actually living (such as it could be a girl friend's address or his mom). This is why it's good to get an "emergency contact address and phone of a relative" from a tenant if you are a landlord.
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