HOUSTON – Alberto Hernandez and his wife Ericka Hernandez are struggling with a tenant, who claims to be unable to pay his rent.
“It’s a pandemic. We’ll work with you but try to give what you can or whatever. But nothing, nothing,” said Ericka.
The lease started in January, and the rent was set at $1,500. However, the tenant stopped paying in April.
“We are at $6,700 right now. I pay $1,600 dollars on the mortgage every month,” Hernandez said.
Alberto claims the burden is now falling on them as landlords forcing them to use the money in their savings account to make ends meet.
Alberto said he understands times are tough but said they own four other rental properties and everyone else is doing what they can to keep up with their monthly payments. Even if it’s just a few hundred dollars here and there.
“We talked to (the tenant), and the thing is that we keep getting promises every week. ‘Oh, I’m going to pay. I’m going to pay, but he never pays it.’ He even showed me a stub check where he made over $1,600 in one job but he just decided that rent was not a priority,” he said.
The Hernandez’s served the tenant with an eviction notice on June 1. But the court hearing has been pushed back several times because of the pandemic.
KPRC 2 talked to the tenant, he claims to be a contractor struggling to make ends meet. He said he is planning on paying about $2,000 by next week. He said he hopes that is enough to show them he is trying.