Our tenants are moving out. We inherited them when we bought the property about 2.5 years ago. At that time, the unit, (our upstairs apt), looked fine.
Now, there is a heavy amt of crayon from the bottom of the walls going up to 4ft on each wall of every room. We don't have a security deposit from them because they paid it to the former home owner who skipped out of state and declared bankruptcy after we settled (bought the house).
The painters gave us an $800 estimate to redo the walls. (I just posted a link on FB of photos of the unit.)

Any thoughts on how to make the tenants pay up?

And this is why I keep telling my other half that I don't want us to have investment properties. As far as I understand, at least here, tenants can skip out or destroy a place and there's really not much you can do. Especially if they have no moola to sue for, or declare bankruptcy. I have several friends who've been screwed in situations like these. No point waisting the money on lawyers if there's no money to get out of them.

Have you talked to them about it? Maybe suggested it would be nice if they bought a couple cans of paint and fixed it up. Paint isn't expensive! Toss in a little guilt trp about how it will cost $800 to do it professionally...which you'll bill them for. I guess it all depends on if they're jackasses and if they're up on there rights & (lack of) responsibilities as a tenant.

Sorry girl, sucks. And who the fuck let's their kids draw on walls? It's one thing letting them do it in their own bedroom, with intent to paint over eventually, but in every room? This is why chalk board paint exists...oh and parenting skills help too.

Wait, so they did pay a security deposit, just not to you. Are they aware that the previous guy ran off with it and they shant be getting it back?

They are aware that they will not be getting their security deposit back unless they hire a lawyer and sue the previous owner. (The previous owner sold this house here in MD., declared bankruptcy in MD., took his money and moved to a beach in Delaware.)

My housemate has been acting as landlord. Idk if he is going to have the guts to call them up or speak to them when they are at the house next about the damages they caused. We talked about sending them a bill and seeing if they will pay in full, or at least part of the cost.

I don't think that we can take them to court. My housemate has areal estate license and he is afraid he will lose it if it comes to light that he has been renting outside of whatever licensed real estate perimeters he is supposed to.

They have 2 kids aged 2 and 5. When we moved in, their unit was fine. I have no idea why they gave up and started letting the children destroy the unit. How could they even live in that? The carpets are a hot mess as well. I certainly wouldn't want to live in a place covered in such a gross mess.

Yuck. IDK if there is any recourse you can take legally. But I know someone I can ask. I'm afraid you might just have to eat the costs though. From what I can tell, if the damages exceed the security deposit, they can be held liable.

F*ck the previous owner for illegally declaring bankruptcy and dipping with the security deposit. If we at least had the deposit, this wouldn't be as bad. I don't know where my housemate found the painter, but for the last hour that I have been home, I have heard him (painter) talking non-stop.
We have a tenant that is moving in next week. If the old ones had moved out sooner, maybe we would have had more time to work on cleaning up.
Angela, please let me know if you find anything out. (My housemate is acting like he is going to back out of asking them for any money. I would get into it, but he has been the acting landlord since we moved in and I don't think I would help anything.)

what a mess!! if it doesn't pan out to where you guys can get $$ from the tenants (wow..it sounds like they SUCK!!!), you think you could just team up with some friends and paint it yourself? i know it'd suck big time, but with a couple of people, you might could do it over the weekend or something? it'd save ya TONS of $$ if you could swing it! wish i could be more helpful!! if i was close to ya, i'd paint it...i helped my sis in law do her entire upstairs (4 rooms and a big hallway)in a day and a half... wish i could just get it knocked out for ya to save you some stress!! *big hugs!!!*

Toxi, I had a couple of friends offer. However, my housemate already hired painters. I am guessing he did this because the tenant is moving in next week. It doesn't make a ton of sense to me, but what is done is done.

awww man! well, that sucks! we'll just hope for the best that those crappy ex-tenants will be sensible enough to make it right!!

My grandparents rent. We have two houses and an apartment attached to one house.

Some people call for referrals. As in, your past tenants apply for a place and that place calls you to see if they were on time with rent and how they behaved (Or something like that).

Our tenants destroyed our houses, and we told everyone that called us how they were with rent and that they destroyed our house. We weren't asses about it, but we told the truth. There's also 'this thing with credit' that reflects upon the people who rented. I have no idea how this all pans out, as my grandparents are in charge of all that.

If you can't get them one way, you can get them another way.

Of course, I live out here in California....so I don't know if it's the same.
>_>
<_<

One of these days I'll have to hold the reigns on this crap. I know for one I am not gonna be so laid back. >:[ Especially if I end up living quite a ways away.