Unpaid rent: “I already have 1,200 euros in legal fees while my tenant has free parking!”

After three months of unpaid rent, Jocelyne hoped to quickly regain possession of the parking space purchased to generate additional income. But the procedure turns out to be almost as long as in the case of residential premises.

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In order to build up additional income, Jocelyne invested in a place of parkingmore exactly a boxwhich she rents for around a hundred euros per month. For two years, his tenant paid the rent rubbish. But for three months he has not paid. “He’s an entrepreneur and he went bankrupt”explains to Capital Jocelyne, who had the last word in the story throughreal estate agency through which she rents her box. The tenant no longer having the means to rent this parking lot, logic would dictate that he leave it. But no, he maintains, not a car, but “a mess of furniture” in this box that he uses as a cellar, relates the owner.

Through the agency, she sent him several registered letters to ask him to resume paying the rent. In vain: “He doesn’t go looking for registered mail at the Post Office”laments Jocelyne. She has just called a bailiff, who is preparing to send a command to pay to the tenant. But nothing says that the latter will go to the checkout. Jocelyne is therefore convinced that she will have to hire a lawyer. An additional cost in perspective, which would bring the legal costs generated by these unpaid rent to 3,300 euros, according to his calculations. “It’s already more than the 2,400 euros that renting this parking lot earned me in two years. It’s not because you have a garage that you’re rich!”Jocelyne fumes. Who “does not understand why, in the event of unpaid rent, the procedure for recovering your property is almost as long in the case of a parking lot as in that of a apartmentinhabited, him.”

Already 1,200 euros in lawyer fees

Pierre is also distraught. Also the owner of a box, he never saw the color of the first rent of 130 euros that his tenant had to pay him. A tenant who, like Jocelyne’s, does not intend to vacate the premises. Another similarity, he does not look for the registered letters sent to him ordering him to pay the rent. Pierre hired a lawyer, who asked the court for an expulsion order. But “the courts being overwhelmed, I am still waiting for a datehe sighs. I am already at 1,200 euros in lawyer fees, in addition to the loss of uncollected rent, while for my tenant everything is fine, he has a free garage!”

Like Jocelyne, he does not understand that the procedure for repossessing his box is almost as long as if it were an apartment or a house: “It’s just a garage!” “We need a legal proceedings indeed, but the deadlines are not quite the same, the unscrupulous tenant cannot benefit from the deadlines and provisions relating to the protection of the home”nuance master Cyril Sabatié, lawyer specializing in real estate law. Nevertheless, at this stage of the procedure, Pierre judges his situation “unfair because we are honest and we feel powerless.”

If you too are experiencing difficulties with your landlord or tenant, do not hesitate to report, anonymously if you wish, to the Capital editorial team at [email protected].