State Specific Question About: NEW JERSEY (NJ)

Are you still accepting personal checks from her?? Is she behind in rent now due to the bounced checks? She can claim what she wants, as long as you have good records and can show that the checks were returned unpaid by her bank you should be fine.

yes she is still there and paying rent but is behind the bad checks and two months. Now court is here and I was thinking of her way out. She has paid 11,400 and the total rent due is 14,800. This includes bad checks fee and rent due plus the bad check too.

She owes you $14,800?!?!

I have a feeling you're in trouble in court. I would recommend hiring an attorney as soon as possible. With this kind of money on the line you can't afford to "wing it" anymore. Although I'm not a big fan of attorneys, one would probably be worth the price in this case.

Also, depending on the amount of the checks and the laws of your state; I would explore filing criminal charges for the bad checks. Anything over $500 (or there-abouts) in PA is criminal and you'd go to jail.

So she owes you $3,400, well you certainly have been patient.

The heck with being nice at this point. Move in money is cash or money order. If a tenant chooses to give me a personal check, if it bounces, they have 24 hours to get me the money, bounced check fees, and late fees or I take it to the magistrate. Once they bounce a check I NEVER accept another check from them. You have let this go on long enough.

Dave - the problem is you can't be a "nice guy" I used to be a "nice lady" LOL - If you haven't started the eviction process start eviction for non payment send a 3 day pay or quit to bring rent and all charged current - PAY TO STAY - in witing state funds have to be post money order or certified bank funds - NJ court has been very cut & dry when it comes to non payment - not sure where in NJ you are but rental market seems to be good latelty.

Be Parepared have copies of everything - you are owed money - you provided housing as agreed in your lease - you need to be paid !

All my lease state that after first bounce check all fund are to be potal money order - certified funds or CASH for the remainder of the lease - period .

As Nancy said... get "nice" out of your vocabulary. Once you've been in the game long enough that being "nice" is looked upon as weakness by your tenants and they'll string you along until you're broke.

Nice and Landlord

FIVE bounced checks and you're more concerned about being "nice" ????

David - This is more than someone owing you money. It's a CRIME to pass bad checks in NJ. If you still have the bad checks, you must send a 10 day letter via regular anmd certified mail. Then you can go to the police to make a bad check complaint. I believe there is a 1 year statute of limitations on a bad check complaint. Here's the body of the letter: LOL

Att: Tenant's name

Your check, #116 dated September 1, 2009 has been returned from your bank due to non-sufficient funds. I expect you to make full payment for this check, the amount being $850.00, within ten (10) days of the above date.

This letter is sent to you by certified mail, receipt #7005 1160 0004 0065 1064, and also an exact copy by conventional mail.

This correspondence is served on you as legal notice pursuant to the New Jersey Code of Criminal Justice, N.J.S. #2C:21-5 BAD CHECKS.

_______________________________

Landlord's name

Dave - now iam just curious ! what where you in court for ?

the non-payment rent or the bad checks ?

Because the non-payment is cut & dry !!