What can I do if the maintenance people at my apt. stole from me?
Question : What can I do if the maintenance people at my apt. stole from me?
I was evicted from my apartment. I paid July rent late, went to my apartment on July 26th, there was no notice on my door. I paid August rent on time, returned on August 26th and I had been evicted and I had no idea. They emptied all my belongings into a storage facility and in the process damaged multiple items and they pretty much took whatever they wanted…. jewelry, phone, bed spread, sheets, blender etc…. I am especially angry because some of the jewelry they stole was given to me by my deceased Grandmother. Can I sue them? The management company was no help of course. I am honestly heartbroken over this situation and want some kind of justice. Any ideas?
facility maintenance management
Best answer:
Answer by Samurai X
If they legally COULD evict you (as in, because of the late payment, you were evicted) verses, if they warned you, and you legally made it null by paying on time, this depends on the reason they evicted you)
If you nullified the reason they were allowed to evict you, you can sue them for everything from theft to harassment. It appears you case is solid, you should be able to sue for at least double the value of what was stolen, and even for the rent money you paid, (since they didn’t apply it for that month)
I personally would sue them to the ground, take every last penny, but you have to have a case stronger than tempered steel to win all of that. Remember to claim emotional damage for the items they stole, and possibly discrimination as to why they didn’t give you notice or proper legal reason.
First, I would suggest doing a search under
“renters rights” or “tenants rights”, include the state you live in
and read the laws for yourself.
There is a legal process that governs how landlord’s are allowed to evict but it can vary from state to state, just as laws do.
Look under ‘eviction’ reasons for…, process of….and ‘theft’ and ‘personal property damage’…take notes, you will need them…
You need to know your rights. That is a good place to start.
Second, contact an attorney, if you are short on cash, contact your state bar association and they can give you info of legal aid in your community. From there you should be able to atleast get legal advice
and possibly representation… ggod luck