Brentwood renter refuses to leave, owner says she owes 'tens of thousands' in back rent
LOS ANGELES - The owner of a Brentwood home is trying to evict a tenant, claiming she owes him thousands of dollars in back rent which she supposedly hasn’t paid since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The homeowner also said that the tenant, Elisabeth Fraley, has been running her tutoring program, Kinder Ready Inc. out of the house, even though the lease is a residential lease, not a business lease.
April 2023 marked the end of pandemic-era renter protections in Los Angeles, but Fraley has a lease that has not expired. LA renters were expected to pay back rent for the first 18 months of the pandemic by Aug. 1 of this year.
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But Fraley has reported several problems with the property, including broken pipes and mold. The homeowner said he has repaired the broken pipes and done whatever needed to be done to make the house safe. At this point, he said he believes Fraley is trying to stay there as long as possible without paying and avoid being sued for back rent once she leaves.
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Elizabeth Fraley declined to do an on camera interview, but expressed via emails that she has a 2-year restraining order against the homeowner and has filed court cases against them, characterizing their claims as "mistruths".