What to do about non-payment of car parking rent?

November 27, 2007 8:22 AM

A neighbor rented my parking space while I am out of the country. I noticed payments hadn't been made for 2 months so when I contacted him he said he had lost all his contact information in a computer disaster and also, his SUV didn't fit comfortably in the space...then

he bought a bigger SUV which won't fit in the space at all. He tells me this now having not paid for Sept, Oct or November.

If he had wanted to he could have asked one of our mutual friends/acquaintances for my contact information.

We used to be pally, often chatting when we met on the street. I think he's a fair person but we're talking $300+ and I have to find a new tenant.

I wrote him a polite email five days ago asking for $275 and haven't heard from him.

Options:
1. send polite reminder
2. get angry
3. drop it

Any suggestions from the wise?

posted by lapsang to work & money (11 comments total)

Did you put anything in writing?
posted by caek at 8:24 AM on November 27, 2007

Send polite but forceful reminder that enumerates all the ways he has misbehaved. Let him know that you'll be finding a new tenant for the spot immediately (just in case he's thinking about squeezing that SUV in anyhow).

Post a craigslist ad.
posted by adamrice at 8:44 AM on November 27, 2007

I'd send a certified/registered letter, with return receipt. The first step with this kind of thing is always to have written records of any communication.
posted by entropic at 8:44 AM on November 27, 2007

Send him a bill, then after a given amount of time, send him another one, then sue if you have the free time.
posted by cschneid at 9:14 AM on November 27, 2007

I certainly hope that you have the original renter's agreement in writing. Save the emails that you've already sent and his reply.

Send him another "please pay now" letter via registered mail. If its delivered, good. If not (and he sounds like the kind of guy to not accept registered mail), do a google for "collection services." Something like this maybe. (note that with that collection agency, you can actually have this debt show up on your tenant's credit report. Thats a fairly drastic option if you want to still remain friends -- but it might prove to be necessary. )

The last and final option would be to take him to small claims court. Your success or failure there may largely depend on if he signed a real, legally binding contract with you in the beginning. Good luck.
posted by Avenger at 9:21 AM on November 27, 2007

drop it.
posted by mmdei at 9:23 AM on November 27, 2007

Be sure to evict him officially, then get a new tenant
posted by thilmony at 9:35 AM on November 27, 2007

Since he's your neighbor and you want to remain amiable, tlak to him and see if you can work out a deal. You may not be able to recoup all the money, but maybe half? Ask if he knows someone else who is interested in renting the space? Failing that, maybe if you put the CL ad up, he could show them the space as a courtesy for you?
posted by radioamy at 9:50 AM on November 27, 2007

You don't want or need to send a registered letter, which provides special handling and insurance for mailing valuables. In this case you'd be buying unnecessary insurance on the value of the contents of the envelope, i.e., the paper the letter is written on.

Send your letter certified, which is faster and less expensive.

Having said that, drop it and move on, unless you're semi-retired and have time to go to small claims court.
posted by JimN2TAW at 10:52 AM on November 27, 2007

I'd say don't make any demands you're not going to back up. You can just let it drop and maybe preserve the relationship, or you can demand the money and go to court if you don't get it. But if you make demands and don't back them up, you're just blowing up the relationship for nothing.
posted by winston at 4:40 PM on November 27, 2007

I would argue, forcefully, that the "relationship" here between you and your tenant does not have any real value. Your tenant is trying to use that "relationship" as a lever to get out of paying what he owes. This is not a "relationship" that you should make any significant sacrifices to maintain.

Put another way, this guys's a deadbeat loser who's effectively trying to steal from you. His "friendship" is worth nothing. Unless it would cause collateral damage among any mutual friends, I'd go after him with guns blazing and work to obtain every cent he agreed to pay. Friends don't steal from friends.
posted by BigLankyBastard at 10:52 AM on November 28, 2007