There are plenty of horror stories about Airbnb hosts, but in this case, it’s the tenant who takes the spotlight as a ‘tenant from hell’ who overstayed her welcome.
Many individuals struggle to find affordable housing, but one Airbnb renter in Brentwood, LA found a controversial way to live in luxury without paying the full cost.
Elizabeth Hirschhorn rented a $3.8 million property from dentist Sascha Jovanovic and managed to avoid paying rent after her initial booking period ended.
After originally leasing the house for six months in 2021, Hirschhorn remained in Jovanovic’s home well beyond her agreed departure date.
Her stay was meant to conclude in March 2022, but Jovanovic consented to extend it to April. However, Hirschhorn refused to leave, prompting Jovanovic to initiate eviction proceedings.
They had initially settled on a nightly rate of $105 when Hirschhorn moved in, which was $110 less than the listing price on Airbnb.
The tenant reportedly paid $20,793 for her initial stay but stopped paying after April 2022.
Despite Jovanovic’s eviction notice, a judge ruled in Hirschhorn’s favor.
Local rules obligate landlords to provide relocation assistance without a legal cause for eviction.
Furthermore, Hirschhorn’s legal team argued that the guesthouse breached the Department of Building and Safety’s code due to an unapproved shower installation.
In response to the ruling, Jovanovic pursued two legal avenues against Hirschhorn: a damages claim for $58,000 in back rent and an appeal against the judge’s decision to dismiss the eviction case.
Hirschhorn stayed in the residence until November 2023, amounting to 575 days. Had she paid the agreed $105 per night rate, she would owe Jovanovic $60,375.
This figure doesn’t account for cleaning fees or other potential charges often associated with Airbnb rentals.
While Jovanovic claimed that Hirschhorn owed him money, she demanded $100,000 to vacate the premises.
In her countersuit, Hirschhorn accused the Airbnb host of 15 violations, including negligence, nuisance, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Jovanovic has since returned to his LA property, expressing he was ‘very relieved and also a bit overwhelmed’.
It remains uncertain whether Jovanovic recovered any of the unpaid rent he pursued.