When a Tenent does not pay the rent, the LL has the right to serve the Tenant with a __ Day Notice To Pay Rent Or Quit [which menas Vacate]. The blank is because the number of days varies from state to state -- could be a 3 Day Notice or a 5 Day Notice or a 15 Day Notice.
The tenant is then "required" to pay the rent or vacate the premises.
If the tenant fails to pay or vacate, the LL can then file an unlawful detainer [also called a eviction] lawsuit asking the court for an order, often called a writ of possession. The Writ of Possession is really an order from the court to the sheriff saying "throw the tenant out."
You need to act quickly, because you are losing rent that you will never be able to recover. Get this bum thrown out, get the property back, get the property cleaned up and start to look for a QUALIFIED tenant.
Go to your local landlord-tenant court and watch. Get the names of the attorneys who are good. Or post your location on a new thread on here asking for recommendations for local attorneys. We have some TX landlords who might be able to help.
But get an attorney and get moving!!
--67.233.xxx.xxx