In a significant legal move, four individuals have filed a lawsuit against a major residential rental company, accusing it of violating multiple consumer protection laws. The complaint was filed by Abishek Sridhar, Nathaniel Chan, Kousik Rajesh, and Minluo Tian in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco on March 6, 2025. The defendants named in the case include Bell Fund VII Cadence, LLC.
The plaintiffs allege that the defendant failed to comply with the Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) and other California Civil Codes while processing their applications for housing at Bell South City in South San Francisco. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs were directed to complete applications which required them to provide personal information without proper disclosures or authorizations as mandated by ICRAA. The lawsuit states that these actions are part of a broader pattern of negligence and unfair business practices by one of California's largest residential rental companies.
The plaintiffs argue that Bell Fund VII Cadence, LLC did not inform them about the procurement of investigative consumer reports nor provided them with copies of such reports as required by law. "Defendants concealed from Plaintiffs the nature and type of investigative consumer reports they would procure," reads the complaint. Additionally, it is alleged that no receipts were provided for tenant screening fees, which exceeded actual out-of-pocket costs—violating California Civil Code Section 1950.6.
The plaintiffs are seeking damages including statutory damages up to $10,000 per violation for each plaintiff along with punitive damages due to what they describe as willful misconduct by the defendants. They also request permanent injunctive relief requiring compliance with all relevant statutes moving forward.
Representing the plaintiffs is attorney Michael A. Shakouri from Meta Law Group APC based in Los Angeles. The case has been assigned Case ID CGC-25-623058 and awaits judicial proceedings in San Francisco Superior Court.