NEW DELHI: Renting a mansion through Airbnb turned into a nightmare for an owner in Los Angeles after a guest refused to vacate the house unless she was paid by the owner 100,000 dollars as a relocation fee.
According to The Los Angeles Times, Aleksandar Jovanovic, a periodontist rented out his mansion to Elizabeth Hirschhorn back in September 2021. She rented the house for six months at a rate of 105 dollars a night, with fees bringing the total to 20,793 dollars, according to court documents.
However, Hirschhorn, whose stay ended in April 2022, has been staying rent-free for the past six months.
Jovanovic is facing difficulty in getting the house vacated reportedly because his guest house was not supposed to be rented as he had rented the mansion without a "valid certificate or proper registration".
"I can never go into my home and know that I'm safe when a potentially hostile person is living there. I'm thinking about it at all times," the landlord was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Times.
As outlined in the legal complaint, the discord between the parties began approximately five months into their arrangement. At that point, Hirschhorn reported an issue with her electronic blinds, which had ceased to function properly. When Jovanovic entered the premises to fix the issue, he observed water damage and evidence of mould near a sink -- which weren't there before renting, as per Jovanovic.
In an attempt to resolve the situation, Jovanovic offered to cover the cost of her accommodations at a hotel for a period of five days, but she declined the offer. He also extended an invitation for her to stay at his own residence, which she declined, citing a severe allergy to cat dander.
In her counterclaim, Hirschhorn asserted that Jovanovic "inappropriately invited" her to move in with him. The tension between the duo persisted throughout Hirschhorn's remaining period of stay, which culminated at the end of March 2022.
However, later it became clear to Jovanovic that Hirschhorn would not vacate his house as she then sent a complaint to a housing investigator, alleging illegal eviction, harassment and a refusal to pay her relocation fees.
"It is the home of the tenant until the landlord gets a judgment, however distasteful that is to your client. The landlord broke the law and tried to make money by renting out an illegal bootleg unit. After he was caught, instead of doing the right thing, he has resorted to bullying, harassment and the filing of frivolous lawsuits containing elaborate false stories, all in an attempt to cover his tracks," Colin Walshok, Hirschhorn's attorney, told the LA Times.
"If she's right, the theory is that if a landlord has something that isn't permitted, then you can stay in it rent-free forever," retorted Jovanovic's lawyer Sebastian Rucci, adding that Hirschhorn was a "tenant from hell".
Meanwhile, a housing investigator has determined that the guest house was not in compliance with city codes and recommended that Jovanovic withdraw his eviction notice until he can provide evidence that the unit meets the required standards.