FRESNO – The owners of a Fresno property alleges they spent $60,000 to repair damages caused by a tenant.
Nina and Gary Gagnebin filed a complaint on Nov. 20 in the Fresno County Superior Court against Aaron Michael Peterson and Does 1-50 alleging negligence and conversion.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs own a property on Valeria Street in Fresno that the defendant rented for 14 years. The plaintiffs allege the defendant paid in cash on a month-to-month basis and was regularly late with his payments. The suit states in December 2017, the plaintiffs advised the defendant that rent needed to be paid on time via check.
The suit states the defendant did not pay rent on Jan. 1, so they went to the property and found that the locks had been changed without their permission and the property had been abandoned. They also allege the defendant left garbage in the property, torn off doors and abandoned items. They allege they spent $60,000 to repair it and bring it back into satisfactory living conditions and were charged $500 for a code enforcement fine.
The plaintiffs hold Peterson and Does 1-50 responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to reimburse plaintiffs for any portion of the damage caused or the expense to repair it.
The plaintiffs seek judgment against the defendants for damages of no less than $60,500, pre- and post-judgment interest, and further relief as the court may deem just. They are represented by Jody L. Winter, Jennifer J. Panicker, and Sean A. Fredin of Lloydwinter PC in Fresno.
Fresno County Superior Court case number 18-CECG-4272