Hello Everyone,

My ex-tenant owes $ .. what is best way to recover the money? Lawyer? what type of lawyer? skip tracer? civil rights? or let the collect agency to do that ?

what is your best experience that you have succeed recovered your money?

So far, I do have her ss num, driver's license number but the motor vehicle a place where you go get your driver's license... her address showed business address instead of home address... so her driver's license is not her home address...(( I think she is hiding )) I am trying to find her real home address so that the lawyer or collect agency or someone can contact her directly and pay back what she owes.

Thank you in advance.

Does your tenant have any earned income (ie- a job)?

The best method is the most expensive: A Collection agency. Unless you know where they bank and can levy the account, this is the most sure fired way to get paid. Expect to pay between 30-50% to the collector.

Keep in mind: 50% of $1 is better than 100% of $0.

Hello Ray-N-Pa, Thank you for reply. She had a job,but i dont know about right now (?.) . My daughter and I left a notice paper on the front door with picture explained that she must leave by the date etc. I also have lease agreement that she already signed. I can use the lease agreement as a part of evdience. Plus I have a check bounced by her this is another evidence that I have.

Hello plenty, Thank you for your reply. Seek a money judgement first. Do I go to court and request for a money judgement? TIA

Hello S i d, Thank you for your reply. I saw that Mrlandlord offers collection agency service. I will read more about it. My ex-tenant has a bank the name of the bank is Fifth Third Bank (53 bank). Can I contact her bank directly or have to let the collection agency do that? TIA

If the tenant has earned income, then you may pursue a collectable judgement.

Did your tenant make good on the bounced check?

For the few remaining tenants I have that do send in checks, I burn a copy of the check every six or so months so I know the account number at the bottom of it.

Generally speaking, you should be concerned with gaining procession before worrying about money owed. Getting the keys prevents any future damage to the unit. But in the back of your mind, you need also be considering how to collect your money.

You don't need a court order to hire a collection company. Based on the bounced check, especially if they have not made it good yet - I would be filing at the local courthouse

Back up. Boun ed ck? What's your state law on bounced checks? HAve u told her to make it good or you'll have her arrested?

Do any of these novices check the rules and laws. My god!!!!

Hello Unb [GA])

5-3 bank hq is in Cincinatti, ohio, a faulty check - I would start there, then small claims to recover the unpaid rent per the lease plus the physical damages, that judgement goes to collection staff, without a judgment you may discover legal problems costing you more than the judgment awarded

Again there's step you have to follow. Here in GA you make a demand to be made whole with in 10 days. Then if you don't get payment and check made good you fill out rthe sheriff's paper and they'll issue a warrent.

Who cares if you can find them. That's the police job. Not yours..

hi Phil, Thank you for your reply. That is what I heard too. I am doing the best I can. I hope and pray to catch her so she will not do it again to the other Landlord.

Hi again Unb, I have contacted the police there already. They are either truly telling me the truth that they cannot find her or they are just lazy. So I dont know. So I am trying to think outside of the box and or find a different way to find her. I did my part and the police did their part. Thanks.

Hi Ken, yeah that is what I thought. I will contact the police again to check if they have already put her in their file just to double check. Thank you.

A bit of good news on unknown address What is the federal rule for service by publication?

This is the Indiana Small Claims Manual:

Kelly, So you didn't actually file eviction, you just put a note on the door saying to leave?

Is she for sure gone? Do you have the keys back and all that? If not then file eviction on her. They will use the current addy as hers as she has not given a new one to you.

Get service, go through the process of eviction and get a judgement against her. Get the place back, work on what needs done to get it rented again. Go to court for the damages hearing. Have all the paperwork showing lost rents, bounced checks, rehab work and the like. All of that gets subtracted from the security deposit.

Judge will award you and then you can start looking for her in earnest.

I just turn everything over to my lawyer/collection agency. They can look for her. If they find her great, if not then at least you have your place back.

The bonus is that in Indiana we have a great court doc system to look up things. mycase.in.gov

That will show the eviction and the monetary damages so the next prospective Indiana landlord will be able to look her up. If they care to.

Hi ZERO, Thank you for the link to "mycase.in.gov" here is copy and paste below....

01/13/2023

First Class Mail Returned

Attempted - not known. Unable to forward.

Party:

Morris, Lawenc Etta

I am surprised that the prosecutor Gregory Garrison was trying to locate her! That is interesting...

Hello TO: ZERO (IN),

I forgot to add in my previous comment ...

This is PUBLIC information that is found online....

State of Indiana v. Lawenc Etta Morris

Case Number 29D07-1810-F6-007377

Court Hamilton Superior Court 7

Type F6 - Felony 6

Filed 10/19/2018

Status 10/19/2018 , Pending (active)

Reference

Case cross references

Prosecutor Case Management Number

29-DM158970

Police Agency Number

18-022846

Original County Cause Number 29D05-1810-F6-007377

Defendant Morris, Lawenc Etta

Description

Female, Black, 5' 2", 167 lbs.

Address

12721 Strawflower Ln, 12

Noblesville, IN 46060

State Plaintiff State of Indiana

Attorney

J. Gregory Garrison

#706149

Attorney address

Hamilton County Prosecutor

One Hamilton County Square

Suite 134

Noblesville, IN 46060-2230

Attorney phone

317-776-8595(W)

35-43-5-2(a)(1)(A)/F6: Counterfeiting def knowingly makes or utters written instrument such that it

Statute

35-43-5-2(a)(1)(A)

Degree

F6

10/19/2018

Case Opened as a New Filing

10/22/2018

Case Filed Electronically

Added By EFile Manager

10/22/2018

Appearance Filed

Appearance

For Party:

State of Indiana

File Stamp:

10/19/2018

10/22/2018

Information Filed

Information

Filed By:

State of Indiana

File Stamp:

10/19/2018

10/22/2018

Probable Cause Affidavit Filed

pca

Filed By:

State of Indiana

File Stamp:

10/19/2018

10/23/2018

Order Issuing Warrant for Arrest

Order Finding Probable Cause And Issuance Of Warrant. Bond set in the amount of $5000 cash or surety.

Noticed:

Buckingham, Donald Lee

Order Signed:

10/23/2018

10/23/2018

Warrant or Writ of Attmnt for the Body of a Person Issued

10/24/2018

Automated ENotice Issued to Parties

Order Issuing Warrant for Arrest ---- 10/23/2018 : Donald Lee Buckingham

01/01/2023

Notice Issued to Parties

Your case is being administratively transferred within Hamilton County 29D05-1810-F6-007377 is now in Hamilton Superior 7 as 29D07-1810-F6-007377

Sent To:

Morris, Lawenc Etta

Sent To:

Buckingham, Donald Lee

01/02/2023

Automated ENotice Issued to Parties

Notice Issued to Parties ---- 1/1/2023 : J. Gregory Garrison

01/02/2023

Automated Paper Notice Issued to Parties

Notice Issued to Parties ---- 1/1/2023 : Lawenc Etta Morris

01/13/2023

First Class Mail Returned

Attempted - not known. Unable to forward.

Party:

Morris, Lawenc Etta

THANKS to ZERO (IN)...

I dont know what is my next step since gregory was unable to find her as well... Hmmmm....

Kelly, Let me make it clear... I am NOT a lawyer. I just gave you the info that you could find online.

If you do not understand all of the legal jargon maybe you should consider getting someone who works in this field to assist you.

TO: ZERO (IN)

I NEVER said you are a lawyer!

I am only trying to stop tenant from doing it again to any other current and future Landlords.

That's it. Recover money will be nice but more importantly stop her from harming Landlords.

TO: ZERO (IN)

I think maybe you are reading too much into my not a lawyer comment. It was meant as this is my opinion, not legal advice.

I applaud you for wanting to follow thru with the deadbeat tenant. I do it every single time. I do it even if they move out but trash the place. I just take them to collections and then small claims court.

I am not in Hamilton county so I can not recommend you to a collection service or an attorney that specializes in landlord relations.

As far as dealing with professional deadbeats it comes with the job. As you get more knowledge about how to weed them out it becomes much easier. Don't give up on the hunt for the ones that get through. Just learn from it and try not to make the same mistake the next time.

Ok. I am still learning.. we all are "students" and yes I do want to help and prevent the tenant from repeating to other Landlords.

For anyone,

I contacted the mrlandlord and learned that they do not have collection service anymore and said maybe in the future they will get a new contract.

I am willing to give you my email

LeeKamerican(dot)gmail(dot)com

so that you can send the Indiana or whereever collection service contact info if possible. The ex tenant is from the state of Indiana. I already google it and it says some collection services, there are warnings of fake or scam so I dont know which one is real.

If you can send collection service contact info the one you already have used before to my email. That will be awesome. I do appreciate it.

I want to say to all of you above that I appreciated you for your reply/inputs/explanations all that. Thank you very much.

Can u not see this maybe a felony if the check was a certain amount. You must do your part and make a demand to make Che k good with all fees. After the time frame ubri g to sheriff and they do the arrest warrant. U can't arrest them.

Its not complicated but ur sure making it so.

See my post on HK Recovery.

You need a knowledgeable lawyer (and none of the following is legal advice)

Get a judgement on the unpaid rent (this is so you are legally entitled to money)

Can possibly get “hot check” charge/conviction as well (this is because you can apply pressure by either pursuing or dropping criminal charges)

Then get a collection agency involved once you have a judgment.

They will take some of the money.

You will have to front money to the lawyer.

It takes money to make money. Using the government for free (ie believing your local police care that tenant owes you money and will help you get that money) is naive. They have better things to do)

h.t.t.p.s:(double forward slash)www(dot)hamiltoncounty(dot)in(dot)gov(single forward slash)DocumentCenter(single forward slash)View(single forward slash)95(single forward slash)Order-in-Garnishment-to-Financial-institution-

and then

h.t.t.p.s:(double forward slash)securities(dot)sos(dot)in(dot)gov(singale forward slash)general-information(single forward slash)collection-agency(single forward slash)

Or is there a better collection agency website ?

I just use a local collection company. They were bought out a number of years ago by my collections lawyer so it was all good.

your thoughts link below ?

I sent an email to my collections people. They said they will talk to the attorney and see if they can help out in some way.

Looked at the site you provided. They state that they are negotiable on terms and such. Hmm.

I also did a fast search for collections agencies in your county and found some. Include attorneys in your search as well.

Personally I would think that local would be a better option as they know the courts and how the judges respond.

no not really .. very few maybe just two that has that in my local via google.

But I just learned after talking with hf holdings INC link above.. they told me to get the judgement award is just a fancy way like more evidence extra or stronger etc... I already have proofs lease agreement and I already have all of contact info and driver's license and ss num and vin num and check (bank info) all that in the document.. If you do not have those proofs then will need go and get judgement award ... That is interesting.. THis is my first experience and want to put tenant out there so that future landlords will not get harm from her. My gift/love to landlords (you) from Landlord (me)...