UPDATE.......Bum Tenants And Their "deal"

started new thread because some responses sounded like they didnt get the whole pic.....

To recap....tenants attorney told my attorney their "deal" was they would be out by the 1st....and that was it, no 2 mos rent owed. They had already been served for the UD.

The same day served, I get pictures that their attorney "claims" substantiates the uninhabitability issues "they have been telling me about" (your basic $200 attorney letter/scare tactic and flat out lie.) (His attorney is a criminal defense attorney~they have a past relationship, so I knew real estate was not his bag....just doing a client favor)

So I tell my attorney to just sit and wait and dont respond to their "deal" because they only had til Monday to file a reponse. (and they didnt) Monday morning my attorney runs into theirs at courthouse. Mine says to theirs "they arent interested in that deal, they want their 2 mos of rent and them out by the first. Remember we had recently purchased (inherited T's) and had many inspection reports and pics so their uninhabitibility wasnt gonna fly and most issues could be contributed to them directly with proof from the sale transaction.

Their attorney gets back to us and says they will pay the $1800 in back rent and be out by the 1st. (gate them til 3rd) We had the attorney draw up the contract and it also kept open the option that should there be any damages we would still go forward for judgement. They had to pay by Friday, they showed up at my attorney with the $ by 3pm, then Monday both attorneys did a walk through with tenants.
I was very happy with the condtion they left for the most part. Some dog damage and the damages and garbage bill will eat all of their deposit. ( i added clause in contract that any unpaid bills at vacating would have to be paid or taken from deposit rather than have to get judgement later.)

I think they figured out that they could screw me, yeah, but I wouldnt let them go scott free.....It would follow them...w/ Convo's in the past with them I know they wanted to eventually buy. And know his local business, a judgement on his credit would prevent him from gaining any other accounts.

I think you have to assess your renters. If they are the type that work toward nothing, they have nothing to lose......I believed they had something to lose and it seems they did too.
I dispise inherited tenants......I screen my tenants well so I dont have these probs. they would have never been one of my renters.
Thanks for all the input. and my advice to others is dont wait on eviction process, move and move fast.....if they have nothing to lose and you can cut a deal to prevent damages go for it.......But if you know they have something to lose I wouldnt be so quick to roll over....I think Landlords are getting the reputation that we can be played.
I probably would have followed the "let em walk" advice if I did not own 2 duplexes in the same neighborhood and the "gossip" across the street who was a past tenant and neighbor to these people....I didnt want my other tenants to believe Im not serious about this biz.
I'm happy.
OT~ did you know you now have to not only itemize but provide the receipts for any repairs inwhich you use the deposit for? (Ca) Nolo has posted some law updates you might want to check out for Ca.