View of SE DC Waterfront

US CAPITOL and Nats Park

Finding my Tenant

My timing today was extremely ideal. A couple of weeks ago I had filed a complaint against my tenant for failure to pay rent (since Dec). Hearing is scheduled in 3 weeks.

I decided to give my tenant a visit, even tho, he hasn't answered the door over a half dozen times Ive visited him since December

When I arrived, another condo owner, Labous, was doing some work.  I asked him if he had seen my tenant. He told me that  a police officer had arrived earlier doing a welfare check.  Someone from his family or work was concerned 

It then dawned on me that Ty could be deceased. I asked Labous if he could help me break down the lock. There was a deadbolt and I didn't have the tools to do this, but thankfully Labous and his contractor did.

After 15 mins of drilling we finally broke in and we could immediately smell the stench of rot.

I went straight into the bedroom and found tenant lying face down on the floor. I immediately called the Police.

One of the neighbors said he had seen my tenant about 2-3 weeks ago taking out the trash and he seemed in good health and well being.

The decomposition of the body was in advanced decay and his face was unrecognizable. The Police determined that he could have been dead for over a month.

I had initially served my tenant the 30 days notice to quit on Jan 12 by posting on his door. When I returned the paperwork was gone meaning my tenant had taken it.  So he was alive in early/mid January.

Due to his illness, my tenant had not been working.  But he did not appear anywhere near death.

I had simply thought that since he wasn't working, he couldn't afford the rent and was thus ignoring me (quite unusual since he had been may tenant since 2004). I had already accepted the fact that the Landlord Tenant hearing would be long and painful. Never in a million years did I think my tenant had just died.