Unwelcome Guest Damages (Lakewood: hardwood floor, lease, house)

[Lakewood12]

Hi all,

I helped a friend of a friend out who needed an emergency place to crash by allowing her to stay at my place. Big mistake, fast forward 2 months and she refused to leave. Was able to evict her in a 3 day notice for evidence of drug use combined with a Domestic Violence restraining order… yep, for real…

She’s now gone, but in just 2 months has caused a huge amount of damage to the property:
- carpet cleaning
- ant and mice exterminating
- repainting doors and trim
- full cleaning
- unpaid utilities

All these I’m comfortable charging her for and will stand behind. The one that’s tough is excessive wear to my hardwood floors. They were in great condition, but now there is a completely worn patch maybe 30ft long by 3ft wide from her room to the yard, where she would walk back and forth all day and night while high on drugs with her boyfriend. There is no finish left on the floors and they are 100 year old hardwood, previously without damage.

I can’t find a contractor willing to do spot repair. They all say the entire first floor needs refinishing due to the damage and the age of the original flooring. The quotes are coming in at $4-5k.

Am I realistic even attempting to charge for this? She caused the damage and I can’t spot repair. So I feel she should be responsible.

I’m not a landlord, just a fool who tried to help someone and got hugely taken advantage of.

Any advice appreciated.

[Lakewood12]

Note to add: she was only offered a short term place to crash while she found a new place and she was not charged nor paid anything. It was agreed 2 weeks as a guest. No lease agreement or verbal contract.

I’m comfortable charging her for metered utilities (water, gas, electric…) based on the damages I’ve incurred in excess to me normally living alone. I’m not seeking damages against any “fixed” costs that her being here had no impact towards (eg trash removal, mortgage, sewage etc).

[Listener2307]

Yeah, I'm in the "suck it up" club.
She's such a flake you'll probably never get anything, anyway. Do what repairs you can, pay for what you must.


Drugs:
Anyone using drugs in my house would be removed at gunpoint.

[texasdiver]

Hard lesson learned.

I seriously doubt that even if you were you to get a legal judgement against this person you will ever see a dime. Blood out of a turnip so to speak. And someone who acts as you describe certainly isn't going to be volunteering to pay for damages. If she was that considerate she wouldn't have trashed your place in the first place. And if you didn't have a written or even oral agreement as to what she was going to pay then you are probably out of luck anyway.

Furthermore, if she was so destitute as to be homeless before you took her in then she is unlikely to have any assets to begin with. And if she is irresponsible and anti-social as you describe then it is unlikely she has turned her life around and now has a good job and is building assets.

Lesson learned. Cut your ties with this person. You already went above and beyond. Let someone else help her out of her next jam (and there will be a next jam). And if she comes to you again or wonders why you aren't talking to her, spell it out and let her make amends.

[jabogitlu]

Never heard of trying to get blood from a turnip?

[L00k4ward]

Originally Posted by Lakewood12

Hi all,

I helped a friend of a friend out who needed an emergency place to crash by allowing her to stay at my place. Big mistake, fast forward 2 months and she refused to leave. Was able to evict her in a 3 day notice for evidence of drug use combined with a Domestic Violence restraining order… yep, for real…

She’s now gone, but in just 2 months has caused a huge amount of damage to the property:
- carpet cleaning
- ant and mice exterminating
- repainting doors and trim
- full cleaning
- unpaid utilities

All these I’m comfortable charging her for and will stand behind. The one that’s tough is excessive wear to my hardwood floors. They were in great condition, but now there is a completely worn patch maybe 30ft long by 3ft wide from her room to the yard, where she would walk back and forth all day and night while high on drugs with her boyfriend. There is no finish left on the floors and they are 100 year old hardwood, previously without damage.

I can’t find a contractor willing to do spot repair. They all say the entire first floor needs refinishing due to the damage and the age of the original flooring. The quotes are coming in at $4-5k.

Am I realistic even attempting to charge for this? She caused the damage and I can’t spot repair. So I feel she should be responsible.

I’m not a landlord, just a fool who tried to help someone and got hugely taken advantage of.

Any advice appreciated.

Were you living in the house at that time too?

Good luck if you could find a way to make her cover your costs - it could be impossible:her word against yours.

- The ant/mice - you did it and your house was inadequately protected from mice, was full of holes.

- the utilities - you said to “don’t worry about it, it is included when you invited her to stay”

- painting, trim repairs, carpet cleaning - the usual wear and tear and you were clumsy and dirty

- the worn out floors - see above, and you have walked that path yourself in muddy shoes. (How could one wear out a hardwood floor in 2 months? Unless the floor was already touch and go worn out?)

You may try a small claims court in your state, but even if you get a judgement - could you collect?

You should ask the friend of your “tenant” who asked you for help to house her to contribute. It is fair.

If they are your friend too - they should help you to cover your expense, otherwise - they are not your friend anymore

[StealthRabbit]

certainly spam / bots.

or...
the unthinkable

Naive

[Lakewood12]

One thing to add, she is 45yo trust fund kid. Her family have the funds but she isn’t allowed near it from what I can piece together. They pay for her car and give her an allowance but don’t talk to her. Her family are in a position to settle her debts and I imagine do not want attention. If I do have a potential path forward whereby her family might recover my damages, it could offer me a way to ensure I do not end up significantly out of pocket.

Ro the poster that said there are arguments against all my comments, I’m not looking to really discuss that here, that was for context. I’m only interested in determining a path forward regarding my trashed hardwood floors, and if/how to proceed. Thanks so much all

[Riley.]

You've hopefully learned a lesson.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Lakewood12

One thing to add, she is 45yo trust fund kid. Her family have the funds but she isn’t allowed near it from what I can piece together. They pay for her car and give her an allowance but don’t talk to her. Her family are in a position to settle her debts and I imagine do not want attention. If I do have a potential path forward whereby her family might recover my damages, it could offer me a way to ensure I do not end up significantly out of pocket.

Good grief! I never would have imagined this was a middle-aged person from that type of background! Does the friend of yours who asked you to give this person a temporary place to crash know how the whole thing turned out? Are you still friends with that friend? I can't help wondering what they possibly could have in common with your former "tenant".

I doubt you'll be able to milk the parents, but it might be worth trying to get some kind of judgment against their 45-year-old child, if only to send a signal to the child, that her irresponsibility can have legal consequences. But you never had a written lease agreement, so I don't see how you can do anything. Be glad you were finally able to get rid of her.