LETTER: Las Vegas eviction sob stories tell only half the tale
Your Wednesday story about the single father and a person who needs crutches getting evicted tugs at the heartstrings. But you are not getting the back story.
I evicted a tenant last December in Clark County. It took eight weeks from the time the constable posted a seven-day notice to the day the constable showed up with the eviction order to remove them. During that time they chose to live in my home rent free, saving $1,700 a month.
They had plenty of time to get out. But why should they when they didn’t have to pay?
I originally gave them more time; they hadn’t paid for the month before I filed. Here are my costs:
■ Three months missed rent, plus one month lost rent to repair the damage: $6,800.
■ Lawyer to evict: $1,000
■ Physical damage to my home: $3,121
■ Items they stole: $980
Minus the $1,700 security deposit, that comes to $10,200.
Please figure me, a caring landlord (not an oxymoron) into the eviction equation. Giving them more time costs more money to me. I have been a landlord since 1980. Everyone says they will pay back the rent. It has happened once in 43 years. They don’t need “a little more time to catch up on rent.” They just want another free day.
