Dear Editor,
I own a rental home in Manning SC. I wanted to sell it as a rent to own. I found a buyer although I thought she was the person’s name on the contract she gave me, I am finding out she has several different names. I had a contract with this person, however she missed three consecutive payments and breached the contract very soon after signing the contract. At one point she was $1375 behind. I had filed for eviction, and she called to talk. She told me she understood what needed to be paid. She Zelled me $375 with a promise to pay the remaining $1000 the following week when she got paid. This again was another lie. She paid $375 to have additional time to appeal in the circuit court.
I also wasted $150 filing a summons and complaint. That is another way for the circuit court to make money. The squatter was supposed to respond to the 5 questions I filed. After responding she was to mail me a copy. After thirty days passed, I contacted the circuit court and was told she did respond. Since I never got anything, they were mailing me a copy. Several days passed and I had to go get a copy because it never came through the mail. The squatter had a long paragraph and did not respond to the questions. Her son shot a gun into her neighbor’s yard risking the lives of his guest. Her pit-bull got out and dug under the fence and attacked a child. The police had to tranquilize the dog. Neighbors are constantly complaining because she and her ex-husband yell and scream at each other. They have removed shutters and new kitchen cabinets documented with the police. Currently they owe $6300. The judge in charge at the magistrate’s court stopped the eviction. The circuit court told me she would do her best to get my case on the May docket. It is now going into September, and no one is doing anything. The circuit court tells me she spends most of her time correcting the mistakes the magistrate office makes. I have always heard that criminals know how to work the system. The squatter wanted me to evict her ex-husband. I told her I can’t do that. She said he will cut my tires and will beat her as he has done before if she evicts him. So, she wants me to evict him instead when she allows him in the home.
Why are our police protecting a squatter? With the trouble these people cause, why do the police want them living in Manning?
As the owner of the home what I do? Police will not help me, magistrate office will not evict stating circuit court is in charge. Circuit court states you have to wait until your case comes to court and get an attorney. She is retiring and probably just ready to be done.
Will King
Manning, SC
