FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THIS POST
THIS TENANT'S STORY DIDN'T HOLD UP IN COURT!
A Rental Dispute Over Locks and a Cat
Imagine coming home late at night.
Your key doesn't work.
You believe your landlord changed the locks.
That's the situation Miss Brown describes to Judge Judy.
The Plaintiff's Story: Changed Locks and a Pesky Cat
Miss Brown is the plaintiff.
She rented a unit from Mr. Brown, the defendant.
He lived in the other half of the two-family house.
She moved in on July 1st with her three children and her niece.
The rent started at $1300, then increased to $1325 to include internet.
Miss Brown claims that on October 14th, she couldn't open her door.
She believes Mr. Brown changed the locks.
Before this incident, there was a problem with a cat.
Mr. Brown's girlfriend moved in during July.
She brought a cat.
Miss Brown says she was not told about the cat.
The cat would come into her room.
She texted Mr. Brown about a stray cat.
He told her it was his girlfriend's cat.
Miss Brown said the cat was mean.
It would scratch her.
Judge Judy asked why the cat was in Miss Brown's apartment.
Miss Brown said she didn't know.
Judge Judy stated it shouldn't have been there.
Mr. Brown said his girlfriend took steps to keep the cat in.
He said they kept it locked up.
They also purchased a gate.
Miss Brown explained the cat kept getting into her bedroom.
Her bedroom door did not shut completely.
It had no locking mechanism.
She said Mr. Brown told her the previous tenant broke it.
He promised to replace it.
He never did.
Miss Brown said the door was still broken.
Judge Judy confirmed this was why the cat kept getting in.
Miss Brown said she brought it to his attention.
He told her to shut her door.
She felt he showed no concern.
She told him she would shut the door if it was fixed.
She asked him to fix the door.
She did not believe she should pay for the repair.
Judge Judy noted it was annoying her.
Miss Brown had three children and a niece living with her.
Miss Brown said she didn't have money to pay for the door.
Judge Judy suggested she could buy a hook for the door.
This would keep the cat out.
The Night of the Alleged Lock Change
Judge Judy moved to the October 14th incident.
Miss Brown said she tried to get into her house around 11:30 PM or midnight.
She claimed Mr. Brown changed the locks.
Her children and niece were inside, sleeping.
Judge Judy asked Mr. Brown if he changed the locks.
He denied it.
Judge Judy pointed out his answer stated he did not.
A Key Contradiction Emerges
Judge Judy asked Miss Brown how she got into the house.
Miss Brown said she texted her daughter.
She asked her daughter to unlock the door.
Her daughter unlocked the door from the inside.
Judge Judy questioned this.
If her daughter unlocked it from the inside, how could the locks be changed?
Miss Brown insisted her keys did not work.
She said both keys for the deck did not work.
The Protective Order and the Same Keys
Judge Judy then brought up a protective order.
Miss Brown had been out of the house for a period due to this order.
She confirmed she came back to the house.
Judge Judy asked if she had the same set of keys.
Miss Brown confirmed she did.
Judge Judy asked if she opened the door with that set of keys.