A woman who allegedly stayed in a luxury guest house in Los Angeles for over a year without paying rent was finally evicted on Friday with the help of police officers.
Elizabeth Hirschhorn, 55, was dubbed as a “tenant from hell” by her landlord, Sacha Jovanovic, who had been trying to get rid of her since September 2021.
Jovanovic, who owns a $3.5 million property in the Crestwood Hills neighborhood of Brentwood, rented out his guest house to Hirschhorn through Airbnb for six months. The guest house boasts a pool, a rooftop tennis court, a fitness center and a private patio. However, Hirschhorn refused to leave after her lease expired and stopped paying rent, according to Jovanovic’s complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Jovanovic’s attorney, Sebastian Rucci, told PEOPLE that Hirschhorn’s six-month stay turned into 575 days of living in the guest house for free. He also said that Hirschhorn had demanded a relocation fee of $100,000 from Jovanovic, citing a new ordinance that requires landlords to have a valid reason to evict tenants or pay for their moving expenses.
On Friday, Jovanovic was filming a documentary about the eviction case when he saw a truck and three men carrying bags out of the guest house. He realized that Hirschhorn had hired movers but did not inform him. He knocked on the door but Hirschhorn did not answer. He then called the police, who arrived and escorted Hirschhorn out of the premises.
The Daily Mail published photos of the police officers and the movers in the guest house, as well as Hirschhorn’s belongings. Rucci filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of prejudice in court on Monday, stating that Hirschhorn had left voluntarily and that Jovanovic had changed the locks and regained possession of the guest house. He also said that the case for damages against Hirschhorn is still ongoing.
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Hirschhorn’s attorney, Amanda Seward, emailed Rucci on Sunday, saying that he “may have jumped the gun” by changing the locks and that Hirschhorn intended to return. Rucci replied that Hirschhorn was not allowed back and that she would have to go to court to get access to the guest house again.
Jovanovic expressed his relief and joy to the Daily Mail, saying, “It was a long time coming but now she is finally out!” He also thanked his attorney and the police for their help.
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