Bill Gray's (thecollector) Blog

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I receive many questions about specific state Landlord/Tenant laws.  It would be very difficult to stay current on laws that change often.  I have added a link to state specific landlord/tenant laws.  The link can be found in the sidebar links section or here:  State Specific Landlord/Tenant Law ...

Today I reviewed over eighty tenant debt accounts and noted that the average balance due is significantly higher than a year ago.  With the exception of the most expensive areas (such as California, New York City, and the northeast), the average amount of tenant debt is normally between $2500 and...

Some of my most uncomfortable moments have come when talking to landlords about considering settlement offers.  Often, the landlord is so emotional about the debt he or she is owed that settling is not an option.After 12 years of reviewing tenant debt accounts, I can tell you with certainty that ...

In most cases they both owe you.  First of all, each individual over the age of 18 should have signed the lease.  If this is not your policy, change your policy today.  There are several important reasons for requiring all adults to sign the lease, but for this article we are speaking simply to w...

For less than twenty dollars per debtor, report tenant debt to all three major credit bureuas quickly and easily.  This will greatly increase the chances that you will be paid.  A credit bureau entry can negatively affect a debtors credit for up to seven years!  Every time a credit granter or lan...

So, you gave your old tenant the opportunity to do the right thing and pay his debt; he gave you the salute and moved along without paying you a penny. He or she has now been gone over thirty days.  What do you do now? Doing nothing is not an option!  In fact, doing nothing is a bad business deci...

Perhaps your tenant lied and took advantage of you.  He may have skipped out on the lease or you may have evicted him.  In either case, he damaged your rental and cost you money!  What do you do now? 1.  First, set your emotions aside and spend some time organizing your ex-tenant's file.  Whether...