Anonymous wrote:OP here - just found out that tenant has subleased our home to another family. Any lawyers that you all can recommend to help and is there anything we can do immediately?

Michelle Meiners. She wasn't my attorney but I was very impressed with her as an observer when I was going through eviction with my tenant two years ago. I started tuning into cases and tracking outstanding cases to gauge how long it took for eviction and she stood out as the most efficient. You absolutely need an attorney who knows what they're doing or you will literally pay for it.

Anonymous wrote:When I looked into this, as a private landlord, you couldn’t report to the credit bureau.

I'm a private landlord and my property mgmt did.

Anonymous wrote:I don't have any of these issues by investing my money in an S&P 500 index fund.

People don't trust markets, they don't do the math, and don't understand this at all. most go for real estate and you cannot talk them out of it.
My family members who go on and on how they made $80k from their last home. They just got their equity back. Had they rented the same house or similar and invested the money, they would have had $200k.
Same with out other home. We got $50k of our own equity out and family member thinks this means we paid no rent for 10 years. In reality, we lost $200k and were unable to leave the crazy neighbor behind.
I'm renting now. My rent was increased and I gave notice. I can get cheaper rent in the same building and my landlord can try to get what he wants. Win-win.

I thought DC was becoming for landlord friendly due to developers backing out as they aren’t able to keep their properties up to code when tenants don’t pay.

This is insane. Can you make the living situations so unpleasant that they'll be forced to move?

Anonymous wrote:Vito & Rocco LLP

Actually, Moose and Rocco have been the go to guys since 1980.

Vito & Rocco LLP

OP here - just found out that tenant has subleased our home to another family. Any lawyers that you all can recommend to help and is there anything we can do immediately?

I am completely naive. How does this happen, and what is the cure?

unfortunately, this is a problem across ALL democratic run cities in the US. What were laws to protect law abiding renters from evil landlords has turned into a scammers utopia. on top of this, many of these dem cities want you to not include past credit, evictions and other things are part of your decision to rent space as to eliminate bias

you have to have bias in determining your renter, and also credit check.

there are so many loopholes for these scammers. one big thing they do is not pay until right before a eviction and then make one payment and it can reset everything b/c the court will see the payment as favorable.

Anonymous wrote:Rent the place out to someone else, a real tough bruiser obnoxious person, or some homeless junkie who is violent.

Give them a lease agreement. Put them in the place while the current "tenant" squatter is out. The police cannot tresspass nor evict the new tenant, and the current squatter you have will have to share the place with the new violent obnoxious one.

Repeat as necessary.

a) you could get sued for constructive eviction and pay far more than you're losing in rent now.
b) how would you get out the "real tough bruiser" then?

Anonymous wrote:
What happened if you change the lock and put their stuff in a locker?

LL would go to jail

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is going to drag out for a long time. It’s been awhile since I’ve brushed up on DC L&T law, but if you can report them to the credit bureaus it might get things moving on their end.

Also, when you’re done, sue for damages and renew the judgment with as many garnishments as you need until they die or flee the country.

DP
What happened if you change the lock and put their stuff in a locker?

There is a recent DC Court of Appeals decision similar to this. The homeowner locked the unpaying tenant out. Tenant sued and homeowner had to pay damages to tenant.

The damage you pay, fingers crossed could be less than the hassle with non paying “tenant” that stays for years.

Unlawful eviction in dc can be criminally prosecuted. I am an dc real estate attorney and represented a condominium board of directors many years ago who were told by their counsel that they could lock someone out of their unit. Criminally arrested. And they were following the written advice of counsel.

Anonymous wrote:If you are willing to move back in, you can get them out in less time. Agree with prior poster to make sure you have legal help and would add make sure all you paperwork is clean

I’m a real estate attorney. This is 100% not true. A tenant can defend your notice of intent to reside as being in bad faith and not genuine. That is a triable issue of fact that goes a jury. Roughly 18-24 months and you first file.

Rent the place out to someone else, a real tough bruiser obnoxious person, or some homeless junkie who is violent.

Give them a lease agreement. Put them in the place while the current "tenant" squatter is out. The police cannot tresspass nor evict the new tenant, and the current squatter you have will have to share the place with the new violent obnoxious one.

Repeat as necessary.