Police kicked in the door on my rental unit yesterday.

[Straightbolt]

I would say if your tenant is running a business (day care/baby sitting) from your rental unit she is responsible for all damages that occur as a result of that business. A license is also required to do day care , something you may want to investigate if that's what she's doing.
IMHO regardless this is all connected to the activities of your tenant and should be paid by her.

 

[Name Taken]

If they police were within their legal right to force entry the chance of them paying is VERY small.

All your tenant thug guest had to do was open the door and the damage wouldn't have happened.

Your tenant should be on the hook for the damage that they or their invited guests caused.

I'd go shopping for a new tenant.

 

[JasonB]

My first question would be why didn't your tenant open the door? If she wasn't home what was someone with enough warrants to cause a police raid doing inside her daycare premises by himself if he is not on the lease?

I would be making her pay and be looking for a new tenant. I can't see any possible scenario where this is not her fault.

 

[KSFrostie]

Illegal sublet maybe. or she let him move in like a Boyfriend thing.

 

[j_h_smith]

Illegal sublet maybe. or she let him move in like a Boyfriend thing.

You can't just let a boyfriend move into the rented home. All of my contracts clearly state that any adult 18 and over, must be signatory to the lease or the contract is voided immediately.

Case in point. A woman rents your house. Her boyfriend moves in without being added to the lease. They get into a fight, she moves out. Now you have a person living in your house who is not covered under any lease agreement.

This opens up a huge can of headache.

 

[Doctor_M]

Sounds like he was living there in violation of the Lease (I had a similar clause). I've got at least three significant lease violations any one of which I would terminate for. Now starts the process. Unfortunately in MD, I have to give her 30 days notice to vacate before I can go to court and start eviction proceedings. I could cut it to 14 days if there is a significant threat to safety or property... I'd say this meets that threshold, but I'm not sure the court would agree since it was "non-violent".

I do have a security deposit from her, but I'm guessing it may not cover everything. Still also waiting to hear from my insurance agent... he was stumped and had to check back with the company. Sigh.

 

[BlackBart]

Shouldn't the LE department be responsible? Not bashing in any way here, just curios. Since they created the damage, shouldn't they should pay to get it fixed?
Any of our boys in blue know or have any idea how this works?

Dunno but it wasn't THEY that invited the criminal in, the tenant did.

 

[j_h_smith]

Sounds like he was living there in violation of the Lease (I had a similar clause). I've got at least three significant lease violations any one of which I would terminate for. Now starts the process. Unfortunately in MD, I have to give her 30 days notice to vacate before I can go to court and start eviction proceedings. I could cut it to 14 days if there is a significant threat to safety or property... I'd say this meets that threshold, but I'm not sure the court would agree since it was "non-violent".

I do have a security deposit from her, but I'm guessing it may not cover everything. Still also waiting to hear from my insurance agent... he was stumped and had to check back with the company. Sigh.

Anytime there is physical property damage to the home, I would petition for the 14 days. Get pictures of all of the violations if possible. If not, get a 3rd party to witness these violations. Get something from the police in respect to the issue that started this and above all else, make sure your contract is rock solid.

Since the damage to your house was done by a third party, it seems like your policy should cover the damage. I know the police did the damage, but wouldn't it be the same as if someone threw a rock through a window? Surely, your insurance would cover that.

Any third party damage should be covered.

Good Luck!

 

[Doctor_M]

Thanks, Jim... appreciate the insight.

 

[rseymorejr]

Sounds like he was living there in violation of the Lease (I had a similar clause). I've got at least three significant lease violations any one of which I would terminate for. Now starts the process. Unfortunately in MD, I have to give her 30 days notice to vacate before I can go to court and start eviction proceedings. I could cut it to 14 days if there is a significant threat to safety or property... I'd say this meets that threshold, but I'm not sure the court would agree since it was "non-violent".

I do have a security deposit from her, but I'm guessing it may not cover everything. Still also waiting to hear from my insurance agent... he was stumped and had to check back with the company. Sigh.

I'm guessing that as soon as she is aware of the eviction process beginning you will get no further rent checks. Try and get her out ASAP and cut your losses.

 

[IjustCantAim]

They just need to write a few extra seatbelt tickets to offset the cost. No biggie.

 

[lee2]

is this section 8?
isn't there some screening involved with the tenants?

 

[Lou45]

Screw that! Boot her ass! And, make her pay for the damage. Her choice, is her problem.

File suit on her before doing anything.

Sounds like he was living there in violation of the Lease (I had a similar clause). I've got at least three significant lease violations any one of which I would terminate for. Now starts the process. Unfortunately in MD, I have to give her 30 days notice to vacate before I can go to court and start eviction proceedings. I could cut it to 14 days if there is a significant threat to safety or property... I'd say this meets that threshold, but I'm not sure the court would agree since it was "non-violent".

I do have a security deposit from her, but I'm guessing it may not cover everything. Still also waiting to hear from my insurance agent... he was stumped and had to check back with the company. Sigh.

Terminate her trashy ass out on the street immediately after filing suit.

 

[j_h_smith]

is this section 8?
isn't there some screening involved with the tenants?

It is almost impossible to evict a Section 8 tenant. You would have better luck talking Obama into CC on a federal level for everyone.

 

[JPG]

It is almost impossible to evict a Section 8 tenant. You would have better luck talking Obama into CC on a federal level for everyone.

Easier than those not in Section 8. For all you landlords out there that have Section 8 tenants (my better tenants), if you have problems with them speak with the case worker.

The reason they are better is that there is a long list of people trying to get in the program and if someone screws up they are put at the end of the "multi year" waiting list. Also, they typically call me to say rent is late while those not in Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers) are called by me asking where is the rent?

 

[TheBert]

Sounds like he was living there in violation of the Lease (I had a similar clause). I've got at least three significant lease violations any one of which I would terminate for. Now starts the process. Unfortunately in MD, I have to give her 30 days notice to vacate before I can go to court and start eviction proceedings. I could cut it to 14 days if there is a significant threat to safety or property... I'd say this meets that threshold, but I'm not sure the court would agree since it was "non-violent".

I do have a security deposit from her, but I'm guessing it may not cover everything. Still also waiting to hear from my insurance agent... he was stumped and had to check back with the company. Sigh.

Give her 24 hours notice that you are going to inspect the property. Then tape pictures from floor to ceiling including the floor and the ceilings and then serve her with eviction papers the next day. Then if she gets pissy about being evicted and damages anything you can take her to court for maliciously damaging your property.

 

[Jim12]

Did OP require the tenant to have a tenant liability & property policy? Many leases require tenant to have one, naming LL as additional insured, though I don't know whether this case could/would fall under tenant's liability. Still, better to use her insurance than yours.

 

[j_h_smith]

Did OP require the tenant to have a tenant liability & property policy? Many leases require tenant to have one, naming LL as additional insured, though I don't know whether this case could/would fall under tenant's liability. Still, better to use her insurance than yours.

I require the tenant to retain renter's insurance, but from my knowledge, it covers their content. It does not cover any part of the house. That's up to the landlord to provide homeowner's or other type of insurance for the structure.

 

[Jim12]

I require the tenant to retain renter's insurance, but from my knowledge, it covers their content. It does not cover any part of the house. That's up to the landlord to provide homeowner's or other type of insurance for the structure.

Yes, but in addition to tenant personal property, iirc tenant policies are available (and often required) to have liability coverage, too.

Suppose the tenant negligently drops a bath towel on the top of the third floor stairs, where the tenant's guest trips and falls down the stairs, also breaking the stairway banister, falls out the second floor landing window, and lands on the original Michelangelo statue in the garden fountain below, breaking off its head and arm?

Does the homeowners insurance pay for the banister, window, and Michelangelo, or does the tenant's liability policy pay because the tenant dropped the towel that started it all?

 

[fabsroman]

I'm hoping for a happy ending to this one.

The fact that it wasn't a no knock and no dogs were killed has already made this one of the least contentious police raid stories on MDS.

Yep, I have gotten this far through it and have nothing negative to say about it. That is just incredible. lol