Think of the landlords

Regarding “White House asks justices to protect ban on evictions” (Aug. 24): In the 47 years that we have been in the rental business, we have evicted three tenants.

With no chance of being evicted, several of our tenants have thumbed their noses at us for over a year, without making any effort to pay even one cent (with one exception) in spite of stimulus checks, continued employment or unemployment insurance payments.

We have made every effort to help tenants who are way behind on rent apply for assistance but some don’t seem to even want to help themselves get caught up.

The system is completely unfair to the landlords who have to pay notes, insurance, repair costs and — worst of all— property taxes. Without any income, these expenses create serious financial difficulties for the property owners.

Quite frankly, I am sick and tired of all of the wailing and gnashing of teeth, when a certain percentage of rent scofflaws will disappear the day before they are to go to court when the eviction ban is finally lifted, leaving us with no money with which to pay for repairs, taxes and other expenses.

It has been my experience that, even if the court orders the tenant to pay up, we will never collect a dime. Guess we were lucky to get a penny from one cocky tenant.

Bottom line: The system is broken and mismanaged by bleeding hearts or just plain incompetent government bureaucrats.

George H. Russell, Huntsville