I have a tenant who is now acting nasty. She started complaining and using very abusive language. I avoid to communicate to her verbally and prefer only Text Messages. She tries to call me hoping that I will pick up phone and listen to her nasty language. She does not leave voice mail messages. She did not stop there and now writing abusive words in the Text Messages. There are name callings and things like that. I sometimes feel harassed. This is the first time it is happening to me. I do not know how to handle this. Going through courts takes time. I am not a full time landlord and have a busy and tiring day at work. Going to court and showing up by taking time out of work in itself is time consuming. What options do I have?

First off, I'm curious what it is that she's complaining about. Stupid stuff, or is it legit and she just doesn't know how to act civilly?

I do not put up with verbal or physical abuse. I would draft a letter today and mail it to her certified mail that you are giving notice of lease non-renewal effective TODAY. So even if her lease doesn't expire until April 2013, as of TODAY she is aware it is not going to be renewed. No specific reason needs to be given. Just "your lease which ends xxx will not be removed. Please be completely moved out and return keys on that date by (whatever time). A move out inspection will follow."

This puts the ball in her court to contact you.

Be careful though. This will undoubtedly pi$$ her off something serious. Well whoopee doo. She's already angry. But what you do need to do is follow up with a maintenance visit 30-60 days BEFORE the end of the tenancy so you can note damages, repair them, and bill them to the tenant. Don't wait until the end to find out how many holes she and her ex-con boyfriend have punched in your walls. There won't be enough deposit to cover it, likely. Hire a rough and tough handy man who looks like he leads a biker gang to go over to take care of it. If she refuses to let him in for a scheduled appointment (post time and date on the door in advance, of course), bill her for the service call and reschedule. Rinse, repeat as often as necessary, and keep sending the bills and deducting them from her rent. The day she doesn't pay the charges and is short on rent, evict her.

Some might call this the perfect recipe to hack off a tenant. She's already hacked off. Nothing you can do at this point to change that. I call it, "taking back control and de-stressing."

If Tenant is just using languge that offends you, there is not much you can do until the lease is up. However, if the Tenant threatens you, report it to the cops. I find that sooner or later, the abusive person will make a threat.

Save all of the texts and voicemails. You might need them in court someday.

I am sorry that you do not want to spend time going to court, but it may very well come to that. That is one of the occupational hazards of being a LL.

I'm tough skinned and I cannot imagine what a tenant might say to me to get me riled up- I might not like it but I wouldn't be upset. I don't engage in "jabbering" with anyone, in any of my jobs so I would hang up if I answered and someone started ranting rather than attempting to hold a civil conversation. who cares what a voice message says, delete it. Not sure what "abusive words" means - cussing and you don't like it? Some people can't speak without "salty" language. so what if someone calls you a name ... you know, sticks & stones ...

Hang in there. Even after all these years, lawsuits and nasty tenants still stress me out. It could be for something small like $300 and it still gets me riled up.

Trying to "win" is a losing battle. I've found that the only solution is to get rid of her even if it costs money.

If she's month to month, give her a 30 day notice. But, most likely, she's on a year lease so I would send her a certified letter, something along the lines of:

"Given the belligerent nature of our emails, phone calls and texts, my lawyer legally requests that we confine all correspondence to written letter unless it is an emergency. By law, I must forward any violations to the proper authorities. Please be guided accordingly."

I don't do business via text message....she e-mails or writes a letter * THE OLD FASHIONED way.

I'm feelin' ya! HOLY COW do I feel ya r i g h t now!

I have an aggressive, monster in my house! The crappy part is this:

He and his GF are/were friends in a tight spot. Our last renter/friend moved to Cali in the meanwhile so, we said you can stay with us BUT! You gotta keep your space - 3 bedrooms upstairs- cleaner than you kept your last 3 places...Scary! I should have known as the words left our mouths...uhm..duh...

So now 4 months later we discover the GF is a raging alcoholic with ADD and self medicates with pot and booze!! They know how to seem so innocent. The really nutty thing is

this guy...this angry, must always yell,door slamming,passive aggressive maniac is a mental health counselor!!! Blind leading the blind there.

So EVERY month when we give him the actual bills and a post it with his share...SCREAMING -NAME CALLING - CRAZY SIDE ROADS OF CHARACTER INSULTS and finally STORMING out of the room slamming doors on the way. This last one was a doozy and FINALLY he said...er screamed he's moving out! YAAAAH!!

Trouble is and what sets our guts wrenching all over again

everytime the guy is in the house, let alone in the same room he's charging at us within inches, to where you instinctively put your hands up to block him. He never has verbally threatened violence but, his actions and yelling clearly state..he is gonna hurt you...any second!