The final step in completing the Form Answer Packet is to add the Signature Page. The Signature Page lists the "remedies" you are requesting - what you are asking the Court to do. The Signature Page also has two signatures. The first is for the whole document, and the second is to certify that you mailed the complaint to the landlord or the landlord's lawyer.
If you haven't added any Affirmative Defenses, you can use the top part of the page to respond to the Landlord's complaint, if it is longer than six pages. If you added Affirmative Defenses, use an Additional Answer page.
Check the box to dismiss the complaint if you don't want to be evicted.
Check if you added Counterclaims.
If you added Counterclaims, you can ask the Court to award you a money judgment for your Counterclaims. If the eviction is for nonpayment of rent, you can also ask for a new hearing to decide the eviction and your Counterclaims at the same time. You may have to pay rent into escrow until the new hearing. If the money you pay into escrow and your counterclaims, then you will not be evicted.
Check if the apartment isn't safe.
You can request that the Court appoints a housing inspector to determine whether the home is safe. This may not help you win the eviction, but the landlord may be prevented from renting the property again until repairs are made.
Number & Doublecheck
Read the Answer and Affirmative Defenses again and number the paragraphs in order. Doublecheck every paragraph to make sure it is correct and true. Make sure the pages are numbered correctly as well. Make sure the evidence that you have labeled as Exhibits is in order after the signature page.
File at Court & Mail
Take three copies of your Answer to the Clerk's Office at the court. The Clerk's Office will take one and time-stamp the other two. Mail one copy to the landlord's lawyer on the date you wrote at the bottom of the Signature page.. Mail it to the lawyer's address in the complaint. If there is no lawyer, mail it to the landlord at the address on the complaint.
Prepare for the Hearing
You can use your Answer and Affirmative Defenses to guide you at the hearing. You should testify and provide evidence, if you have it, for every paragraph. You can also make a list of questions to ask the landlord at the hearing. Filing an Answer also may make it more likely that the landlord will negotiate with you to reach an agreement to let you stay.
