Tenant vandalisum

[Carolyn_Radford]

I made a mistake by letting a friend move onto my property to live rent free because he was loosing his home and didn't have any place to go.He was a slob and it took me two years to get him to move off. He was in a fifth wheel using my water and septic tank. He left a mess on junk for me to haul away-about three pickup truck loads or maybe four. He also left garbage in an water heater room and caused a bear to do damages, ripping a door off, tearing off all the screens to the cabin, etc. He did some damage to the pump which I got my water from run by a generator. This is a mountain cabin that was to be my primary residence but I haven't been able to go there because he was there. Can I have him arrested for vandalism? or what charge. I have no clue where to find him will the post office give the sheriff his forwarding address? Should I try to get my insurance to cover the damages they find him and sue him. He only owns a truck and is on SSI. I can't afford to have all these things fixed I don't know what to do. I propably need about three thousand dollars to clean up after him. He already cheated me out of two years rent by not leaving stoled my three weeks supply of emergency food and stoled some building materials. Any advice would be appreciated. I've been living in a family home untill I could go to my home, the cabin and now I can't go home because of damages. Help! There was no deposit or rent, I felt sorry for this pathetic jerk. He had been a friend of my husband's and when I told him about my husband's passing he begged me for a place to stay. I was still in shock and made a bad decision. I hate him and he owes me money to fix what he has destroyed. Help! I doubt if I could get a lawyer to represent me for this small amount of money. Where do I start. If I have to suck up this expense I want him arrested. Please some advice.

 

[MorgansDaddy]

Your could try filing a police report, however, I don't see it going much further than that. Especially if he is unable to be found. You need to try to claim in on your home owners insurance, and hope they cover at least some of your damages. I don't know what else to tell you, besides to chalk it up to a lesson learned, and don't make this mistake again. No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[army judge]

You allowed a person, known to be a DEADBEAT by you, to squat on your land for years. You had to evict this bum. Now you know why this creature lost it's home.

All that said, you have nothing on which to base any criminal charges. You permitted this creep to squat on your land.

The criminal law can't help you. However, you could sue this bum in small claims or a bring a larger civil suit. But, why bother? The bum is broke. You'd just be wasting your time, although you'd most likely win. The problem would be collecting your judgment.

The creep is broke. He couldn't pay you. You know what they say about getting blood from a turnip, even though it's RED. I sympathize with your plight. I suggest you move on and be happy you were able to rid yourself of this piece of trash!!!!!!

 

[CdwJava]

You allowed the person to live there and he damaged the property that you effectively gave him care and custody of. Yes, you can try to make a report with the local law enforcement agency for vandalism, but I will wager they will tell you this i a civil matter and not a criminal one.

However, if he took items with him then you can probably make a theft report for the theft. But! Unless you can show that HE stole the items, it is merely supposition that he stole them. The items could have been stolen by others and, perhaps, unreported by him ... same with the vandalism, too, actually.

If the guy had anything worth seizing you could consider suing him for the damages. However, since it is likely he hasn't even got a pot to piss in, and he's already off sponging off the next friend with yet another hardluck story of an evil landlord and bad times, you are likely out of luck.

 

[mightymoose]

I, for one, would not even take the report if you called to complain of vandalism. I would refer you to the civil court which is where this matter will be resolved.
Leave the police out of it. Take lots of pictures of the damage, document EVERYTHING, send the guy a demand letter for payment (providing receipts and estimates to verify you aren't making numbers up), and then sue him if he fails to pay... which is what he will do.

Also consider his ability to pay. If he is as broke as you make him sound, you have nothing to gain by suing him. Suck it up, move on, and don't make the same mistake twice.