My tenants have turned into complete nightmares! I have a condo that I owned prior to meeting DH that I have rented out for the past two years. Since I moved into DH's house when we got married and the housing market was so bad that it wouldn't sell, so I decided to rent it out and at least cover the mortgage. UGGGGGGG

First, an exterior water pipe burst (it is a multifamily condo in a building with 7 other units) and leaked water into our storage unit in the basement. DH and I had to replace cost of drywall and plumbing! In addition some of our tenants personal property was damaged. I told him to file with his renters insurance. He wanted to list me as the individual at "fault". No way, I told him. This was not forseeable, nor preventable, so I am NOT liable for this! I repeatedly asked to speak to his insurance agent (or to have a copy of his claim) cuz he was stating he was out 5000 dollars (not possible as I saw his damaged unit unless he had antiques in those boxes). He never provided me proof he filed a claim (though he did say that the insurance company told him that no one was "at fault" for the water pipe.

Next, the washer in his unit overflowed, causing the carpeting to get completely soaked in the hallway. He blew a fit and told me that he and his family couldn't live there because it wasn't habitable. I had a carpet installer and new washer ready to be installed within 3 days, but suddenly he wasn't available to move his crap for the install to take place until 2 weeks had passed. Of course, he wanted me to give him a free month of rent ALONG with paying him for his daughters ballet classes, wife's personal training etc they missed because they HAD to stay out of town. Ummmm no.

So he calls the health inspector....who says essentially that the place IS livable and he can't withhold rent. He continues to press me and I tell him that I would not discount the rent because He was the one who delayed the repairs.

Now he's back on the issue of his 500 dollar renters insurance deductible for the personal property in the storage unit. He just sent me an email saying he's going to sue me unless I pay him 500 dollars. Keep in mind he's been late with his rent every month for the past 4 months.

LIKE I NEED THIS CRAP! OMG DH and I are dealing with court issues with BM, we're tapped out dealing with SS's behavioral issues, not to mention the financial stress we're going through and now I have this.

So should I let the guy sue me, or pay him off????