Dealing with landlords and people in neighboring apartments.

Here's another little idea.... if there are two of you, you can knock and if no answer but you are pretty sure someone is there... say this in a loud voice.... "Well heck George... what are we gonna do with this check? I guess we just have to send it back"...

Very often, as you are walking away.... the door will come open quickly and they will say........... "What check?"... this is right up there with "Pizza Hut delivery!"... or "Fed Ex"... or "UPS!" (remember, I retired from UPS and I have several old uniforms and hats....

As far as cooperation from the landlord.... I always, always go see them first, unless it is after hours and the office is closed... then do what you have to.... but I also have never kicked down a door...

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

DITTO !



I think that Scott has asked THE key question here.

Your answer here is . . . .




What you did wrong is to not make first contact with the Management of the Complex. You made yourself to look suspicious, drawing attention to yourself. Do you not realize how many crazy, up to some thing **ucks look like defenseless people to get into their "mischief" ?


.

Ron, the above is quote is going to be some of the very best advice that you are going to get. I am going to highly suggest that you take Bill Williams advice

_________________


Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

These members are the elite among us and will give you excellent advice... DSI, Scott M., LuVonda and although BWilliams has only been posting here recently... I have formed the opinion that he does in fact, know his stuff... all have vast experience in this business. I would bow to their expertize in any given situation.

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

I've done process serving, car repo's and door to door collections; so I am not a virgin at approaching people who don't want me there.

In this case; this was a 4 plex and the landlord was right there working, he stopped us mainly because we were white folks knocking on the door of an African American - according to someone who called me later, he is a bit of a jerk - and that was from someone who lives there.

I am not a BEA and don't profess to be. I am the bail agent, just helping out. In this case it was to be a simple door knock on a client whose phone number was disconnected and missed a court date.

_________________
Ron Hartley
(Retired)

_________________________________________________________
To avoid confusion and misunderstanding:
I am fairly new in the bail bonds part of the legal system. I've been in the legal profession 25 years - Paralegal and Legal investigator.

I am not a BEA - just a Bondsman trying to improve and become a better bondsman.
_________________________________________________________

I'm not commenting on the landlord part, but you can not assume that it is "a simple door knock" because the "phone number was disconnected" when trying to get in touch/catch a person with a warrant ("missed court date"). Some times you come across a simple case, but never go in assuming it's simple, just my 2 cents.

_________________
If the world didn't suck we would all fall off. (Luvonda)
Nobody has power over you that you do not allow them to have. (Scott)
Be careful of the seeds you plant because one day they will be harvested.

Dave
Private Investigator
Licensed by the NYS DOS Division of Licensing

My take on this thread is that if Ron has over 10 years in the bond business, as reflected in his listing... he probably has a handle on things... I think everyone is just chimin' in on your post... and as I always say... everyone has an opinion... sounded to me like the landlord was the problem here and probably nothing you could have done to improve the outcome... I have run into those types myself... and I am a really nice guy with a jovial personality who knows how to talk the talk ... and people crap on me all the time... I usually just laugh it off and put it in my little book for future reference....



... of course, you asked the question and it appears, you got some answers... I think I would have just walked away and waited for the police... of course I would have had Scott or Yak or Matt or Dave with me so if the drunks got rowdy... I would have just pointed them in the direction of my buddies... and said... "sickum"....

My advice... always take a really big, mean lookin' dude... or two... with you if you expect anything more than a grandmother....

_________________
Bill Marx, Sr.
"FREE STATE BAIL BONDS"
"FREE STATE INVESTIGATIONS"
DCJS: 99-176979
Cell: 434-294-0222

"Endeavor to Persevere" "Lone Watie"

"Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that , comes from bad judgment" "Will Rogers"

Thanks for all the input and suggestions, they will be logged into the memory bank and this thread will be reviewed from time to time as a point of reference.

If I may point out in my very first post....

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=12205



I am still learning this side of the criminal justice system; I am not trying to be a bounty hunter / BEA. Once in a while a small bond goes south, some Recovery people won't take it on and in Minnesota the bond agency is "fined'' by some judges each time someone FTA's. Hence I wrote the bond and I have to get involved in finding the person.

Normally I can defuse most situations

(example: 6'8" screaming maniac in my face recently. Within a few minutes I was leaning against his car window chatting with him with him calmed down; practically making a few friend... to the chagrin of my back up - who just wanted to mace the idiot)

How ever in this guy's case, he had an axe to grind with the bond business... no doubt he got burned in the past and took it out on me. Whatever the reason, it was what I do, not who I am that created the problem. The drunks - well if you are drunk by 1pm in the afternoon that says a lot about you and your ability to reason.

Many years ago - and not long after I left High School; I attended a modified police academy for security officers and Private investigators that our local sheriff's department put on at the police training facility. Time and again one instructor let us know that it is what we are, not who we are that people will react to.

_________________
Ron Hartley
(Retired)

_________________________________________________________
To avoid confusion and misunderstanding:
I am fairly new in the bail bonds part of the legal system. I've been in the legal profession 25 years - Paralegal and Legal investigator.

I am not a BEA - just a Bondsman trying to improve and become a better bondsman.
_________________________________________________________

Ron, Your "experience" states" 10 or more years . . . which is it ?

Either way, bottom line is . . . you did not do your "check in" and drew unwanted and un-necessary attention to yourself.

I hope that you take the time to learn from that experience and not repeat it.

_________________


Do not consider anything for your interest which makes you break your word, quit your modesty, or inclines you to any practice which will not bear the light, or look the world in the face .... Marcus Antonius

I AM Some Folks "KARMA" and A MODERATOR @ FRN

My experience? I stated 25 years in the legal industry and fairly new in the bond industry. Where did I say 10 years?

Added - Found what you were talking about; I will correct that. User error.

25 years in the legal industry, fairly new as a bondsman. If memory serves me correctly, I think I made a few mistakes that someone asked me to correct (it was late at night) when I set my account. The info in my 1st post is correct.

What do you mean by "check in"? if you mean contacting the police - we always notify the police when we are doing a door knock - the cars in the area are then prepared if we need assistance.

_________________
Ron Hartley
(Retired)

_________________________________________________________
To avoid confusion and misunderstanding:
I am fairly new in the bail bonds part of the legal system. I've been in the legal profession 25 years - Paralegal and Legal investigator.

I am not a BEA - just a Bondsman trying to improve and become a better bondsman.
_________________________________________________________