Did Renter’s Cause House Flood? | Part 3

Sylvia claims former landlord’s Preston and Donna put nails behind their tires and peeped through their daughter’s windows!
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[@jefft8597]

JJ had to do a lot of dental extraction work to find out the entire facts regarding the rental insurance.

[@ImOnAJourney]

No kidding! Why can’t people just answer the question asked?? It’s so simple and yet it seems to be impossible for so many.

[@Nstev84761]

@@ImOnAJourneybecause people are always lying. It’s really really easy to see if someone had any kind of insurance and yet they lie every time.

[@tiffanyeyoung1800]

​@@ImOnAJourney They're trying to get more money

[@stephanieyee9784]

I wish she'd have pulled the old I'm going to phone the Insurance Company trick.

[@ImOnAJourney]

@@stephanieyee9784 I really thought she was going to do just that!

[@bpmarcos006]

I had to watch this case twice. I was a property claims adjuster and I can provide some clarity on what was going on. The defendant is correct in that they likely did not have insurance coverage prior to the leak, while the plaintiff is correct that the insurance company will not pay a renters policy for a "slab leak". A homeowners policy will also not pay for a slab/subsurface leak. A renters policy only pays if the loss would have been paid by a homeowners policy, as they are similar policies just with different focuses on coverage. The house is likely on a concrete slab with no crawl space or basement below the property. When the supply (water going in) plumbing has a leak under the slab (in the ground) the water has nowhere to go. Eventually the ground will get saturated and can cause foundation movement (usually in a hill) and the water will rise up towards the home and come up through cracks in the concrete foundation. These leaks can be very damaging as it will take time for the issue to be apparent. This can result in mold, floor saturation, damage to the walls near the leak (could be coming up in multiple spots), and damage to personal property near the leaks. It will also result in an elevated water bill since the leak would go unnoticed (why insurance companies don't pay) for quite sometime and a gradual leak though it may seem small can be hundreds or even thousands of extra gallons a month. The tenants likely suspended rent negotiating a fix of the leak and the landlord unable to have the insurance company pay for what could be a VERY expensive fix, dragged his feet on repair. Eventually blaming the tenant for their inability to perform the repairs. This is why he agreed to drop the suit for back rent in exchange for relinquishing the property. He did not do it out of the kindness of his heart, as he's ultimately responsible for all the repairs while they're tenants (which likely would have cost him more than he was getting in rent). They could have likely sought additional damages had they known how to articulate their case.

[@jeffrowisdabest]

That's a pretty good summary of what all transpired here

[@bpmarcos006]

@@jeffrowisdabest something I left out is that as long as the tenants needed water and the plumbing repairs went undone the damage only got worse; exponentially worse. The affected areas, already worn and deteriorated from water saturation, no longer withstood the ongoing water intrusion as well causing further spread in damage (that bubbling wall material he mentioned). This is probably why they went to a hotel. In cases like this we'd often tell people to only turn on the water main as needed (showers and bathroom a few times a day, to do laundry and leave it off the rest of the time) otherwise the damage would be continuous as there's nothing to stop those pipes from leaking (as they're under ground beneath hundreds of tons of dirt and the structure). I don't think this happened as the tenants didn't mention it. The landlord left them in the house and sat on his hands probably accelerating the damage and deterioration. He then blamed their presence for this issue.

[@anh0342]

Thank you for the explanation!! That's why they may have stopped paying rent and probably why the landlord chose to pay them $950, just to vacate the property because he may have been sued for more👀

[@THEDubbleHelixx]

Incredible commentary. Thank you!

[@bpmarcos006]

@@anh0342 yeah he's on the hook. He tried to put the plumbing on them saying it wasn't damaged before they moved in. A slab leak is due to aging and long term deterioration to the pipes and/or pressure from small minerals (rocks) as a result of shifting ground. They couldn't have caused it, they were just in the home when it became apparent. This would also be confirmed by their water utility bills. You'd notice a spike in usage in the time just prior (and after) to the evident water damage.

[@WarGrowlmon18]

"Are you wasting my time???" Yes.

[@polkadots2823]

I heard that! 😂

[@katherineduke3232]

Both defendants and plaintiffs were sketchy and sneaky. I dont trust any of them!

[@franksandoval7117]

Plaintiffs are so totally giving me squatter vibes.

[@arleshiagibbs7663]

How so??

[@TheDondon14]

Why? Because they’re black?

[@umungus518]

​@@arleshiagibbs7663the extortion to vacate the property is a pretty good hint.

[@TheThuthukani]

​@@TheDondon14they didn't pay rent and want compensation

[@umungus518]

@@TheDondon14 yup its totally that and not the fact that they tried to extort the landlord in order to vacate the property. Thanks for continuing to hurt victims of real racism with comments like this!

[@franksandoval7117]

Judge Judy said: “OVA!”

[@Beegeezy144]

You're cute

[@JRspeaking]

So New Yawk of her.....😆

[@nicoledillard7358]

I CACKLED 😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@kenyattaknox5163]

The leaks at the residence was a major issue and I believe the landlord could not afford to fix it. The tenants withheld rent trying to negotiate a fix. That is why the landlords didn’t go after them for back rent, they knew it would come out that they refused to do maintenance on the property. It’s annoying that landlords always try to withhold deposit at the end of a lease. The landlord was trying to lie but his wife was telling the truth.

[@eeriewhispers3991]

Slumlord meets Slum-tenants 😂

[@Knochhouse]

I'm allergic to this case😂😂

[@danielikelman481]

Needing insurance for every little thing nowadays....it's ridiculous

[@Monica_Rights]

I’m not understanding. Even if they had renter’s insurance, it’s still the property’s owner responsibly to fix it.

[@MrPerfect219]

yes, BUT the owner is not responsible for their stuff. They claim their stuff was damaged but their stuff is only covered by the renters insurance.

[@talita.1389]

Maybe she wanted to ensure they weren't committing insurance fraud, having received money from the Insurance company and suing the Defendants for the same thing.

[@timeme03]

Yes I'm trying understand that as well

[@s.w.d4010]

Right. Renter’s insurance only covers a renter’s property and liability. It doesn’t coverage damage to the home.

[@marysmith3057]

Plaintiffs had personal property that was damaged. JJ wanted them to use their renters insurance for the personal property damage, and when they couldnt prove a denied claim, she ignored that part of the lawsuit. Imo though, they offered to pay for the damage to their stuff in exchange for the keys, so I think there was validity there. Plaintiffs wanted their deposit because because they claim all the damage to the house was due to the flood, so it would be the LLs responsibility. LL claims they did damage separate from the flood damage which is why they don't get the security deposit back.

[@garfieldsmith332]

I love it when the plaintiff and/or defendant yammers on and on, while JJ just ignores them and looks at the evidence.

[@lorig4871]

Serial squatters , wasting court time .

[@edwindelgado8775]

Left the place dirty and nasty 🤢

[@Virtuouswoman78]

Look at them they're dirty and nasty too I bet they smell horrible

[@edwardranno7119]

This is why I stopped renting to people

[@scottmcwave9479]

“Ovaa” 😃

[@merryhineline7781]

I truly believe the cracks in the tile occurred after they moved in. You cannot be 600 lbs and not cause structural damage.

[@kay22100]

True.

[@Jade_902]

The water leaks and damage could be from a persons weight, like when sitting on a toilet.

[@beverlytolbert2278]

😂😂😂😂

[@msfeistyman]

No more Internet for you young lady!

[@pursepearl4555]

😂😂😂

[@elroyface404]

This is why I sold my rental property.

[@luciechapello1008]

Me too.

[@brucevarnes978]

Plaintiffs are a nightmare. If it is so bad to live there, why are you staying and not even paying rent?

[@trekgirl65]

And they cannot admit they live like slobs.

[@polkadots2823]

You guess? They are squatters

[@brucevarnes978]

@@polkadots2823 Yes, that was what I was implying. Also, what guess you talkin' bout?

[@truelife974]

Not fair to say. They lived there for a long period of time. The defendant never alluded to them not being consistent paying tenants. The issue came after the flooding started. At that point as a tenant you have to protect your bottom line. Squatters do not attend court with an attorney to seek a resolution. The tenants did the appropriate thing in this situation. Simply moving out without resolve could have backfired on them.

[@brucevarnes978]

@@truelife974 They're squatters. What's more they sound like crooks too wanting money to vacate.

[@livingmybestlife5013]

Professional scammers!! They know the eviction process better than a lawyer does smh 🤬

[@DanielleA2023]

That's another fair decision as both parties were equal right/wrong

[@VisualizeHealing]

Duh! The $950 was NOT a security deposit. That was stated at the beginning and was acknowledged by Judy. Then she shifted and started referring to the money as a security deposit. I think she's slipping. Still nasty but slipping on facts.

[@modernlegacy5555]

This man had to go to court and pay these people to move out of his house after they flooded it. What a nightmare.

[@supremeking4life796]

I like how even though the case was finished in part 1, we got 2 extra parts of complete nonsense from both parties to lose $200 from their deposit for being pigs LOLOL

[@kevinalleyne361]

True, they pulled a loss right out the hands of an outright victory because of greed.

[@texasmadehoney1523]

She wouldn't shut her trap 🙄 definitely only hurt her case not letting it go

[@maureen4227]

How is this lady ever become a judge her rudeness is off the scale

[@lexxusbaby2583]

I’m so confused. Why do they get any thing if they didn’t pay the rent?

[@truelife974]

The case isn't about them having a problem with paying rent. Once a property you're renting out experiences something major like flooding or a roof falling in, you start dealing with a different situation. As a tenant you don't blindly pay rent while the landlord doesn't fix the situation and compensate you for your losses. Nor do you simply move out because you are still under a lease. You do what they did initially which was go to court and settle it so both parties can be made whole again. The landlord's lawyer advised him that it was in his best interest to forgive the rent and pay them the $950 to vacate because it could cost him more if he didn't do so. The tenants were not wrong for how they handled the situation. That's why they won here.

[@flossydonnellon4893]

Wow the plaintiff really went Gutter Level , landlord was looking through the window at her 9 yr old daughter , wonder what she hoped would have been deduced from that comment, vile woman

[@tahjjj1488]

But he didn’t deny it. He denied a bunch of other stuff. But she said she had police reports for the nails behind the tires…but not one for him watching your kid?! I don’t trust either of them.

[@johnsmi213]

@@tahjjj1488 Because it sounds like he was surveilling the property for other reasons and she turned that into "A child lives here and you're looking in windows." She was selling it as if he was being perverted when these people, demanding punitive damages for having to move into a hotel, would probably go ape #@!* if they had a legitimate case regarding him being a sexual predator.

[@BrianErwin]

$750 back with that mess and staying longer is crazy

[@user-vo3bv3lz5r]

"put your hand down" lol

[@user-sk7fh9xp9o]

JJ said OVA!!! 😂😂😂😂

[@croach2194]

Judge Judy does not listen.

[@sophieandwayne]

What about all the rent they owe and the landlords court costs to evict them?

[@treschic04]

The tile was already cracked, husband wondering if he walked into that room.......

[@sunnyd6931]

That was a bad judgment She clearly said they were not there for the security deposit She said they were there about an agreement there was so much going on Judge Judy must have missed it cuz clearly and the first one she says we are not here about the security deposit

[@bettycogswell9851]

I didn't trust the defendant for a minute. Glad they got money back.

[@L.Spencer]

I don't trust the plaintiffs, they didn't pay rent and wouldn't leave.

[@kiaraj9711]

I agree. The defendants did not disclose the agreement they had about the damages.

[@Jade_902]

Plantiffs took advantage and we’re pigs

[@margaretwade]

@@Jade_902 You're a pig??? If you are going to insult someone, at least use proper spelling and tense of the word "were."

[@whosaidthat9265]

So you like scamming squatters? Interesting position to hold

[@jennifermacdonald1552]

love Judge Judy..fair lady ❤️

[@e.d.h.5605]

This guy looks like he hasn't been able to wipe himself properly in 25 years!!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@konye618]

They both do. Hopefully they have bidets

[@HelenByrd-yf9cf]

​@konye618 I'm not sure a bidet could get where the problems exist. Not to be rude, we have a bidet, and it can only get the water to what's open and an easy target.

[@Xxsorafan]

@@konye618between the folds would still be funky cause they are too lazy to lift them up

[@richazores2542]

Squatters

[@LL1966]

Looks like a crappy house

[@JDnFL]

Looks like crappy tenants

[@dntgiveaf2876]

@@JDnFLyoure only saying that because of their weight lol that landlord is a mess

[@TraciHeard]

Had just gotten renters insurance few months prior to incident which led to current address two weeks prior to sending a nineth month payment thanks to surplus checks......

[@johnmoya383]

Slobs

[@psm14]

Instead of paying rent on time this squatters spent all their money on food😂 😂

[@mollyscot1563]

I hate the way JJ always says it is impossible for tenants to cause damage behind fridges, washing machines etc. Of course it is possible if they never clean up or don't wipe down surfaces or let water run under appliances or don't open windows to allow ventilation. I have replaced numerous washing machines, driers and fridges and there was never a mess behind them. She is mostly on the ball but is sometimes out of touch with real life in a world where most of us don't have professional help like she does.

[@MaleOrderBride]

This is why I don't rent my houses out to these types of people 😢

[@rickwallace2091]

That’s a lovely comfortable shirt the plaintiff is wearing

[@ToutCQJM]

I thought it was a tarp

[@tiffanyeyoung1800]

The plaintiffs are trying to pick up some extra moving money

[@ImOnAJourney]

Are they talking about rain water or a pipe leaking? Most insurance won’t cover rain water leaks.

[@AntoniusReginaldus]

She mentioned a pipe that got replaced without a licensed plumber, and I think she said that is what was leaking. But there might have been more than one spot in the house that was leaking, I don't know. Plus there was the astronomical water bill.

[@ImOnAJourney]

@@AntoniusReginaldus That’s what I thought I heard - thanks for agreeing with my sanity 😉😂

[@user-dj9cz2qr2r]

Thank you very much.....OVA😂

[@juliealderton7576]

Can u imagine your squatters wanting 950$ to get off your property.. and the size of them you know there's damage...

[@Spike-ck5tj]

The landlord forgave rent they didn't pay and they came after him for money!?? What sort of agreement was that?

[@truelife974]

Forgiving the rent was the appropriate thing to do. He was advised to do so by his lawyer. Had they vacated the home and went to a hotel while the situation was resolved he would have owed them money for the days they didn't live there plus what it costed them to stay in a hotel. The non-payment of rent cannot overshadow the flooding of the house.

[@louie24seven]

Jabba the hut & his lovely wife.😂

[@arleshiagibbs7663]

I love her accent 😂😂on that note. The plaintiffs need to consider going on a diet

[@MauriceBailem]

Why do they ALL LIKE to raise their hands 🙌 omg JJ just gonna tell you to PUT YOUR HANDS DOWN!!!!!😂😂😂😂😂

[@thetaekwondoe3887]

If they interrupt they get yelled at. :)

[@truelife974]

People, the plaintiffs didn't live rent free. In order for the lawyer to even represent them because they hadn't paid rent, they had to have the past due rent in escrow before the court date. This is because the judge could have ordered them to pay and the balance would've been due immediately. Because they had the money at mediation that put the landlord on the spot. Trust and believe the plaintiffs had a counterclaim totaling far greater than the unpaid rent. Therefore, the landlord's own lawyer told him that he wouldn't win on grounds of non-payment even though he could have still secured an eviction order. The evidence of the series of floods and their exercised ability to pay put the landlord at the disadvantage. So his lawyer advised him to drop his claim because the tenants could win and their counterclaim would also be due immediately. Since they didn't go in front of the judge to get an eviction order because the tenants counterclaim would have been addressed, they both made the good faith agreement with the $950 for the keys. The defendant is the one who didn't have the money to pay, not the tenants. They were not squatting, they went to court and the landlord lost! In reality, the landlord actually got the best deal though.

[@kshani_official]

The way JJ said PEriod! 💅 lol 😂 😂

[@THEDubbleHelixx]

Waiting for JJ to yell at them all for interrupting each other.

[@urielflames3799]

This must be in California. It's sickening how much power renters have. When a owner sees your destroying there property

[@TN-ie8kd]

The owner destroyed his own property by not dealing with the disrepair issues or fixing the ongoing leaks properly and in a timely manner, despite the tenants reporting them multiple times. He allowed his property to deteriorate by ignoring their concerns, then blamed everything on them to avoid responsibility for their belongings getting damaged as a result of his negligence. A stitch in time saves nine!!!

[@user-dj9cz2qr2r]

Squatter's, squatter's, squatter's!!!!!!

[@mudderjen]

Notice she said they had insurance prior to damage reported not before the leak

[@PaintingandExercise]

What a nightmare. Really.

[@phazerbrains]

Ovahhh!

[@nikkster01]

she stood up in court and said "hes spying on my kid" make her prove it and then catch her for perjury and defamation why do men have to put up with this blatant lying

[@shatteredscry]

I think that's legitimately the worst thing to ever lie about. Rumors like that is life ruining.

[@Mal-jc9kg]

Well men are a easy target in cases like that.women are rarely asked to prove it3

[@ajsassy788]

We never had renters insurance when we rented. Never thought about it! When things broke he fixed it!

[@lindaharner9245]

My landlord insists on Renters Insurance.

[@hnclym98]

Renters insurance would protect your belongings though, not necessarily issues with the house

[@richc.3100]

😂 judge Judy never cleaned a house if she thinks it only cost $200 to clean one 😂

[@TheAray6]

JJ is right ultimately they have choices in the matter. Which is why she wouldn’t give them damages and their full security deposit back. I understand the idea of withholding rent to negotiate a fix. But if there are multiple leaks in January, June, and July and you stay there then that’s on you. Then refused to leave until they handed over money. They liked not paying rent. Why put your health and your son’s health in jeopardy.

[@truelife974]

Because had they left with only that verbal agreement they would have placed the ball back in the landlords hands. He could have come after them once they left and sued for whatever.

[@NotWOKEButAWAKE]

Plaintiffs are unbelievable.

[@wintercame]

Did the plaintiffs actually pay the $3,500 water bill? Plus staying in hotel for 3 weeks? Why wasn't that addressed?

[@umungus518]

Because they are scam artists. They extorted the landlords and then stayed past the date they agreed to.

[@essflem]

@@umungus518 you didn’t understand the case clearly

[@umungus518]

@@essflem keep telling yourself that.

[@wintercame]

@@umungus518 That was not established or JJ would not have awarded them deposit.

[@umungus518]

@@wintercame it was established lmao thats why they got the deposit. They got the landlord to forgive the back rent and attorney fees just to get them out of the house.

[@ccmellows5094]

nobody: JJ: PERIODT!

[@jwpink33]

I never rent from private owners

[@mondoarchuleta9693]

To say that he was a peeping Tom is just petty. This was almost turning into a squatter situation.

[@joycampi7233]

Ohvah!!!!!!

[@montelou42]

A couple of $100 for that disaster. JJ being ridiculous again. She needs to listen completely and quit acting like her hair is on fire and she needs to leave. JJ needs to be a decent judge and not act a fool like she does.

[@rdl8878]

Lady. Be quiet.

[@nicoler3687]

O'vah!!

[@brocktoon8]

Why do I not believe or trust ANYTHING plaintiff says?

[@truelife974]

Because people seem to see the landlords as the victim by default.

[@johnmusser8925]

Dude would be rough on plumbing

[@LT-hg7fc]

OMG!!! Both of them can't stop talking!!!

[@David___8w]

An intimate discussion with Binance's CEO about future developments

[@glennmatthews4220]

Plaintiff are lairs and useless tenants, back rent owing, squatters. And left heaps of damages.

[@truelife974]

If that were true they would have been the defendants.

[@chrisarseneault5617]

OVER!

[@user-sk7fh9xp9o]

The plaintiffs were living LAAARGE literally hahaha.

[@87MockingOwl]

is she still practicing?

[@user-hs1zr6mc5d]

The plaintiffs are filthy and seem to be bad tenants but the defendants should've looked at the damages before making the agreement. Fair judgement.

[@Orcl1100]

OVER! Judy didn’t minced words

[@sconex8072]

I don’t know what them being big has to do with anything…

[@marianaya5824]

This sounds like another squatters case... 🤔

[@elizabethgalligan1805]

OVER😂😂😂

[@davidarthur6942]

So, going to put this here, if the defendants is smart, this could potentially haunt them for a long time. When you pay rent, you have something that follows called your rental history, and in it, every landlord can comment on the renter. Court details, trash, etc. When a rental business or a smart landlord does a background check, it will all pop up as well showing everything, giving the landlord your history and if they should truly rent to you. If you have ever done a background check, or filed paperwork and was told sorry we can't rent to you, it may have been your rental history.

[@truelife974]

Lies!

[@davidarthur6942]

@@truelife974 actually it's not, you need to look it up if you didn't believe me. I know people that actually use it.

[@davidarthur6942]

@@truelife974 I know being in denial is hard, but it's actually true. I know a lot of landlords that use it, and a friend that works for a property rental has stated they use it. I actually even used it when I had a rental.

[@crimsonite2044]

The defendant talks too much

[@aaronobryan4295]

I’ve seen better wigs on Undercover Boss..lol

[@weirdnomad8868]

I truly wish I could reach through the screen and tell those plaintiffs to shut up. They would've won their entire security deposit if they had just kept their mouths shut and not gotten greedy. Plus the defendants reniged on their agreement which JJ hates. These plaintiffs clearly have an issue with self control in more ways than one

[@Virtuouswoman78]

I smell the plaintiffs through my phone

[@jobuck879]

I gather the defendants were not fixing the plumbing issues so the plaintiffs decided to not pay rent. It ended up in their local housing court and the defendants decided it’s just best to get their property back. I get it, the plaintiffs were not paying rent but I do see their view-my property is damaged because the defendants are not fixing the damages. Leaks can cause more than damage property, it can cause health issues with things like mold and mildew and pests. And the people attacking the plaintiffs appearance are beyond childish and immature. They won the $750 because the defendants didn’t uphold the housing courts agreement.

[@ocky88]

They are all sketchy and should have been thrown out. I don’t trust either side.

[@annemiura7767]

This is why there are a lack of rentals. I’m not saying this landlord is great but after you get screwed over by a few tenants you have to toughen up or sell up . That’s why most landlords are corporations.

[@truelife974]

He didn't get screwed by them. He actually came out on top. You have to truly understand it from a liability perspective. The courts are usually on the side of the landlord. He lost a little to save a lot.

[@SpeckszDaBoss]

Damn that creature in a wig how unfortunate

[@jaylayton7907]

The plaintiffs voice was painfully annoying omg 😩

[@demishawhite]

People are so grimy my god

[@bobbymartinez5150]

They are out of their fat minds

[@GroguSlayer69]

damn now the judge is wasting my time

[@ericsneary5430]

The plaintiffs are squatters just looking for an easy payday

[@truelife974]

Squatters don't get lawyers.