How do you get paid post-eviction?

Many landlords are surprised to learn this:

An eviction judgment for rent and possession doesn’t  get you the rent you’re owed.

It simply gives you the legal right to collect.

Once you win your case, the court isn’t going to chase the tenant for you. There is no debtor’s prison - you have to take the next step(s).

Here are your main options:

⚖️ 1. Hire a Collections Attorney

If you want to stay in control and recover as much as possible, this is usually the stronger route.

A collections attorney can:

• Garnish wages (take a portion of the tenant’s paycheck each pay period)

• Garnish bank accounts if funds are located

• Record a lien or judgment that follows the tenant on their credit record for up to 10 years

  
  

In Missouri, judgments accrue 9% annual interest, so time can actually work in your favor if you enforce it properly.

The difficulty with this option with tenants is that unemployment is a likely cause of missing rent payments, which means garnishing wages can be difficult or impossible in the short term. Secondly, they’re tenants - they likely don’t own any real estate or assets on which to place a lien. Hence, Option 2 below will often be a better option.

🧾 2. Use a Collections Agency

If you prefer not to handle follow-up, a licensed agency can pursue the debt for you.

• They’ll typically keep 30–50% of what they collect

• Agencies report debts to credit bureaus, which can pressure repayment

• However, they cannot garnish wages or seize funds — only an attorney can.

  
  

This option is definitely easier but often less profitable.

Best,

— Landlord Legal STL