A sad, but true story:
I used to be a landlord, rental was my main source of income. Then the market prices fell dramatically - I couldn't even sell the property. I was forced to lower rent in order to stay afloat. At that rate, I couldn't even afford maintenance and the circumstances attracted less than desirable tenants. Due to the economic situation at the time, I had to leave the country for gainful employment elsewhere. But before I left, I rented to a fellow I knew from my boxing club, a BIG GOON, who became the so-called slumlord in my absense. When I returned with some money and wanted to clean the place up, I found it very difficult because he had brought in his gang. Even the Marshall was afaid to enter. Laws then protected these dirtbags from eviction, even though they refused to pay rent. In retrospect, perhaps the better way would have been to take the law into my own hands - bring in my cousins to clean house - we would have had serious rumble!
In any case, I was left holding the bag, paying the mortgage and not receiving any return on my investment. Time went on, costly as it was, I jumped through all the legal hoops. Eventually, the bastards ditched, after several threats of violence and my house nearly burned. Where were the police? Where was the justice? Finally I ended up selling the property at a huge loss. The lesson I learned was, allowing undesirable elements to enter - giving them any authority, is only inviting trouble