FULL VIDEO AT THE END OF THE POST
A Room for Rent
Mr. Dennelovich, the plaintiff, rented a room in his home.
His daughter had recently gone off to college.
He had an extra room available.
He had not rented a room before for a long time.
Mr. Dennelovich had been searching for the right tenant for a considerable period.
He explained that he was used to living by himself.
His daughter lived with him part-time.
She would visit him from her mother's home.
He mostly lived alone.
Finding the Right Tenant
Mr. Dennelovich looked for a roommate for a long time.
He finally found Ms. Forest, the defendant.
He mentioned that it took longer to find a tenant because it was a condo or townhouse.
There were rules and regulations to consider.
He needed to be particular about the type of renter for noise purposes.
He wanted to be a good neighbor.
He found Ms. Forest and rented her a room.
The room was unfurnished.
Ms. Forest had to bring her own furniture.
The Lease Agreement
Ms. Forest moved in on September 24th.
Her monthly rent was $745.
They signed a six-month lease agreement.
Mr. Dennelovich presented the lease to Judge Judy.
Ms. Forest paid a $900 security deposit when she moved in.
She paid her October rent.
The Tenant's New Job
Ms. Forest started a new job on October 8th.
The job was at a mortgage company.
She found the job close to where she was living.
She had already moved in all her belongings.
She was perfectly happy with the living arrangement when she first moved in.
Notice to Vacate
Ms. Forest gave notice to Mr. Dennelovich on October 30th.
She informed him she was moving out.
She was still residing at the property on November 1st.
She moved out of the property on November 22nd.
Ms. Forest did not pay rent for November.
She used her security deposit for November's rent.
The Landlord's Claim
Mr. Dennelovich was suing Ms. Forest for six months of rent.
He wanted her to pay out the remainder of the lease.
He stated he told her he would not let her out of the lease.
He posted notes on her door and car regarding the lease.
He wanted the full six months of rent.
Mr. Dennelovich believed Ms. Forest moved out for financial reasons.
He thought she found a place with friends for less money.
He speculated it might be walking distance to her new job.
He heard she worked in the Oxnard area.
He estimated it was a 20-minute drive from his location.
The Tenant's Defense
Ms. Forest stated that Mr. Dennelovich was acting "weird."
She claimed this behavior made her uncomfortable.
She said she told him she would only stay if he wasn't acting weird.
She assumed her security deposit would cover the last month's rent.
Judge Judy asked Ms. Forest to explain the "weird" behavior.
Ms. Forest said Mr. Dennelovich asked her to go to the hot tub with him.
He also asked her out for drinks.
He invited her to a festival.
These invitations made her uncomfortable.
She felt he was looking for more than a roommate.
Landlord's Admissions
Mr. Dennelovich admitted to inviting Ms. Forest to the hot tub.
He said it was a community jacuzzi.
He framed it as a suggestion for relaxation.
He also admitted inviting her to the Avocado Festival.
He said she was not working and was stressed in the afternoon.
He suggested they go for a couple of hours.
She told him she was going with her girlfriend.
He stated he only asked her one time.
Efforts to Find a Replacement
Ms. Forest tried to find a replacement tenant.
She brought five potential tenants to Mr. Dennelovich.
Mr. Dennelovich found them unsatisfactory.
He disqualified one of them by some rule or regulation.
He found it difficult to find someone who met his specific specifications.
Judge Judy's Assessment
Judge Judy noted that Ms. Forest was feeling uncomfortable.
She felt Mr. Dennelovich was looking for more than a roommate.
Ms. Forest gave notice to leave.
She was paid through November.
Judge Judy clarified that Ms. Forest did not have a counterclaim for the return of the security deposit.
Ms. Forest used the security deposit for November's rent.
Judge Judy stated Mr. Dennelovich had 30 days to find someone else.
She reminded him he had been living alone for a long time.
She questioned if she would make Ms. Forest pay for the entire lease.
Judge Judy confirmed Mr. Dennelovich put a note on Ms. Forest's door.
He sent an email on the 20th that she did not reply to.
He then posted the note on her door.
He also posted it on her car when she did not respond to the email or the note on her door.
The Verdict
Judge Judy advised Mr. Dennelovich that he should live alone.
She reiterated that Ms. Forest brought him five people.
She found his behavior of inviting someone to a hot tub, a festival, and for drinks within the first month to be "a little bit weird."
This was especially true if the tenant was not interested in him.
Ms. Forest was interested in a room, not him.
Judge Judy stated she could not think of a valid reason why a grown woman would move all her possessions into a new accommodation only to leave after one month.
She concluded that Mr. Dennelovich's acting "weird" was the reason.
The case was dismissed.
Mr. Dennelovich retained the November rent.
He also kept "a little bit more," referring to the security deposit covering November's rent.
Judge Judy again told him he should live alone.