What happens when your tenants are driving you to financial ruin, but you can’t kick them out during an ongoing eviction battle?
That’s the problem faced by property owner Akosua Danquah in Iowa Colony, Texas. Her tenants have stopped paying rent and call the police when she tries to check on her home. Though she’s trying to get them evicted, the process is time-consuming — and it’s driving her toward bankruptcy.
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“I can’t even come to my home,” Danquah told KHOU-11 News. “This is the most disheartening thing you can imagine.”
An ongoing eviction battle
Danquah decided to rent out her home after accepting a job out of state. In January, her tenants stopped paying rent — and haven’t paid since — so she gave them a notice of eviction. But after going to her local justice of the peace court to file the eviction, she was told she’d have to wait 30 days.
Now, her tenants have stopped all communication with her, and when she tries to check on her home, they call the police.
In the meantime, Danquah has had to stay with family and friends since she can’t afford to pay both her mortgage and her rent out of state without the rental income from her tenants.
She now wishes she had done a background check on the tenants.
“Whenever you take shortcuts when leasing a property, you’re taking chances,” Troy Cothran, treasurer for the Houston Association of Realtors, told KHOU-11 News.
“My recommendation is don’t take any shortcuts when leasing because it’s a business decision that you’re doing.”
In the meantime, Danquah has an eviction hearing this month.
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How landlords can protect themselves
If you’re looking to rent out your property, start by screening potential tenants. That could include a credit check, background check and/or income verification. You can also ask for references from their employer and previous landlord. If they refuse to do so, that may be a red flag.
Make sure you have a lease agreement that clearly outlines the amount due each month and what will happen if tenants don’t pay their rent on time (including grace periods and late fees). You may want to consult with a real estate lawyer to help you navigate landlord-tenant laws in your state.