<human>: Could you distill the essence of the text into 1-3 sentences?

Hi guys and girls,

I am the head tenant on a lease in New Zealand. The way payment for the lease is structured is that all tenants pay the weekly rent and utilities contribution into a flat account, which we then use to pay bills. I am the longest standing tenant on this lease, as all the friends I initially moved in with have moved overseas or out of town over the course of the last three years. As a result of me buying them out each time one left, I own all the communal furnishings and have the utilities signed to my name.

The new tenants are drop kicks, and internally support each other's drop kick behaviour. Due to them being very bad with finances, they have been falling behind on rent. However, due to the utilities and lease holding me responsible, I had to keep these payments going by contributing significant sums myself.

Initially I gave the flatmates the benefit of the doubt and trusted that they would get their shit together. they didn't, and the more I cover for them, the more they must have realised they can use me.

As it stands, two flatmates owe me nothing, one owes me $800, one $2000, and one over $5000. The latter owes so much due to a combination of me being too lenient, significant lies, and reversing a series of automatic payments into the flat account through his bank.

I feel there is endless advice on how to deal with being IN debt, but I can't find any good advice on how to RECOVER debts when it proves more difficult than a simple conversation. Could anyone please offer advice on:

1) Suggested options to get (part of) my money back? All debt is thoroughly recorded and signed off by everyone involved.

2) How to screen the suitability of flatmates to replace the drop kicks I need to evict?

I know I left this situation too long, but better deal with it now then let things go further downhill right?
<bot>: Flatmates leeching off me to the tune of about $8k. What can I do to recover the debt?