[Landlord US-TX] Landlord Seeking Advice: Tenant Trashed Property, Owes Rent, and Violated Lease - What Are My Options?
I'm a landlord facing a nightmarish situation with a recently evicted tenant, and I need advice on how to proceed. Here's what happened:
- Tenant lost his job and didn't pay rent for 3 months.
- I went through the court eviction process to have him vacate the property.
- After he left, I discovered extensive damage:
- Appliances (oven, microwave, fridge) damaged
- Entire house needs repainting(whole house was painted and given in pristine condition to the tenant)
- Nails embedded in all the wals in the house
- Bathrooms extremely dirty
- Bathroom walls broken and poorly "repaired"
- Garage floor was used for painting related activities and therefore completely damaged
- All in all, we estimate that the tenant caused approx 20000$ worth of damage
- Lease violations:
- Undeclared occupants: fiancée, 2 children, 2 parents, and a pet
- No forwarding address provided
- No indication of intent to pay back rent
Questions:
- What are my options for recovering damages and unpaid rent?
- How can I ensure this eviction and potential credit impact stays on his record?
- What legal steps should I take to protect myself and potentially recoup losses?
- Are there any landlord protection services or resources I should look into?
- How can I prevent similar situations in the future?
Any advice from experienced landlords, property managers, or legal professionals would be greatly appreciated. This is in Plano, Texas. Thanks in advance!