I have a very troublesome tenant who has recently begun calling me at all hours, claiming some kind of a fake issue or another is due to my "irresponsibility" as a landlord. Nevertheless, whenever I try to respond with polite rationality, he uses vulgarity and hangs up.

Because I am now convinced he is setting me up for a an ultimate court battle - wherein he will appear as the abused victim - I am wondering if anyone knows if there is some place in the meantime where I can record my unanswered emails or texts to him for future use by my attorney.

Many thanks for any responses to this quagmire.

Joe Newby

Print them out.

Or, SAVE them on your computer.

Just archive the texts in your phone. You can also snap screenshots and email to yourself but don't erase them.

Emails just save in a file in your email. Those are time and datestamped automatically. You can print them out, but again- don't erase.

Is this answer what you were looking for?

I saw the feature on Google voice where you can record the call or messages.(I'm not sure if it's incoming or outgoing) As long as it's legal in your state, I'd record it if he calls again.

Step 1, set up tenant number to "silence" ring tone

step 2, raise the rent if month to month..

30 notice to end a month-to-month takes much longer time to get them out, same with violation based eviction.. The fastest way in RI is non-payment.. From my attorney

Give the tenant the option to move if they aren't happy at your place. If they act now, you'll waive the termination fee and not count the early termination against their deposit. However condition will still be deducted from deposit.

I had thought about using Google Voice: press 4 to start recording, and then press 4 to stop recording. But there was an intrusive "this call is now being recorded" message that would play, and I didn't like it.

There are 12 states that require all parties in a conversation to consent to recording for a recording to be legal: California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Washington. (There are exceptions, of course--- if you think you're collecting evidence of a serious crime, or if the conversation is taking place in a place without a reasonable expectation of privacy, etc, etc, etc.) Since I was in TX, I didn't want something that would notify the other party to be on their best behavior in that one situation that would make the whole thing worthwhile.

Step 1 - All calls go to voice mail. Don't respond to anything vulgar.

Step 2 - All maintenance requests must be in writing. Mail him a letter in this regard. Phone call maintenance requests are a PRIVILEGE--not a RIGHT--and he has LOST that privilege.

Step 3 - Evict ASAP for non-payment of rent. Note: this may not be happening now, but how long will take for a vulgar person who makes up fake issues to stop paying rent? I give him 30-60 days, max, before he starts withholding rent, especially once you start enforcing Rules 1 and 2.

I'm familiar with this type of tenant. You need to regain control.

1. If he is on a lease, serve him with a letter that you will not be renewing the lease. It'll probably cost $35 to serve him, but it will send an irrefutable message to him "Don't mess with me".

2. If he's not on a lease, serve him with a 30 Day Notice to Quit ASAP.

It's important to serve him FIRST, so that any subsequent legal action (like calling Housing Inspector on you) will look like "retaliation".

Unless you are into pain, pull the trigger and take steps to get him out. The sooner you start, the sooner he'll be out.

Also, never forget, other tenants will be watching. If they see the complainer somehow benefiting from his complaints, guess what the other tenants will start doing!!

I have a few fruit cakes with mental issues that play your game. Call with with an emergency like a Noah's flooding of epic proportions. Then after driving an hour I find 3 drops of water on the side walk from over spray from the neighbors sprinklers.