A San Francisco landlord tried to permanently evict longtime tenants after getting them removed temporarily in order to make serious repairs to their unit. The penalty? $1.2 million, a judgment that the California Court of Appeals just affirmed, SF Weekly reports.
The landlord used a city ordinance to give notice to the tenants that they had to vacate for three months to do repairs. When they didn't leave on time - they said they had no place to go unless he paid the relocation fees - he sued in unlawful detainer and won. Based on that case and a stipulation, they left and after three months expected to return. The landlord refused, saying they had "surrendered" possession.
They sued and won $1.2 million, the judge finding the remaining tenancy was 20 years and the rent amount was $381,825, the amount trebled under the city ordinance. The judge added another $300,000 in attorneys fees.
The case is Chacon v. Litke, 2010 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 363
The landlord used a city ordinance to give notice to the tenants that they had to vacate for three months to do repairs. When they didn't leave on time - they said they had no place to go unless he paid the relocation fees - he sued in unlawful detainer and won. Based on that case and a stipulation, they left and after three months expected to return. The landlord refused, saying they had "surrendered" possession.
They sued and won $1.2 million, the judge finding the remaining tenancy was 20 years and the rent amount was $381,825, the amount trebled under the city ordinance. The judge added another $300,000 in attorneys fees.
The case is Chacon v. Litke, 2010 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 363
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