Philadelphia Weekly

REAL ESTATE

Collecting back rent on foreclosed home

Rent it Right

By Inman News Feed

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Feb. 10, 2011

Write a letter to Mrs. Jones with your next rent check, chronicling the events that you describe here, and stating that you will continue to pay the rent as directed in the lease. Ask that the person who signed the lease -- Mrs. Jones -- advise you in writing if she would like you to make the rent payable to someone else, or sent to another address.

The purpose of the letter is to leave a paper trail establishing that you are abiding by the terms of the lease, in the unlikely event that Mr. Jones attempts more devious schemes that muddy the waters and imperil your tenancy.

Janet Portman is an attorney and managing editor at Nolo. She specializes in landlord/tenant law and is co-author of "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" and "Every Tenant's Legal Guide." She can be reached at janet@inman.com.