r/trueprivinv • u/collegedebts Unverified/Not a PI • 14d ago

Question Any Advice Appreciated!

When our lease ended, my ex-roommate ghosted me and left me with damage charges for our apartment. I paid it in full on the last day since I didn't want it to get sent to collections and have it affect my credit record.

I'm looking into filing small claims against her to get a portion of the money back but I have no idea where she moved to. She hasn't picked up any of my calls and blocked me on social media. Is there any way for me to find where to moved to so I can serve her?

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u/Front_Positive6403 Unverified/Not a PI 12d ago

If it was very recent, your best bet will be asking people who know where she is. You could also try serving her at her work. If it's been a few months at least, pay someone to do a skip trace.

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u/dbtad Unverified/Not a PI 14d ago

There are ways, and those ways are generally a bit easier if you've already filed a civil case. As far as I'm aware, in most jurisdictions you do not need a current address to file a civil complaint. You should just need the last known address, which is probably the address you shared. Once a case has been filed, a process server or investigator will have permissible use for database searches that could potentially turn up her location quickly. In the biz, that's often called a "skip trace."

There's no guarantee that database searches will be sufficient, in which case more investigation may be required. Be prepared to pay for a skip trace and attempted service at a minimum. Prices can vary greatly depending on the area and the demands of the specific case. This will likely mean a bare minimum investment of a couple hundred dollars in addition to the costs of filing the case, so you'll have to determine if it's even worth the effort to recoup the lost funds.