02x87 - Deposit Disaster

[bunniefuu]

While we were living there
he harassed me every day.

You could've moved.

He started arguing with me
in front of my 11-year-old kid.

He made him cry. He is a monster!

But you stayed there.

I deserve my deposit back.

I deserve my deposit back,
That's all I know.

That's why we're in court.

[narrator] This is Judy Justice.

[theme music playing]

[Narrator] Mary Tsotsikyan is suing
her former landlord, Kazi Ahmmad,

for a security deposit,
invasion of privacy, and harassment.

[bailiff]
Court, come to order. All rise.

Have a seat, please.

Case #2047
Tsotsikyan vs. Ahmmad.

- [Judy] Thank you.
- [bailiff] You're welcome.

- You had a house?
- Yes.

Where?

In Sun Valley.

When did you purchase the house?

I purchased it, uh, four years ago.

How much did you pay for it?

We purchased it for $585,000, I believe.

[Judy] And you sold that house
to Mr. Ahmmad. What month and year?

We sold it in,
I believe it was January.

- Of 2022
- Yes.

And you sold it for how much?

- $574,500.
- [Judy] Where did you move to?

[Mary] I moved to Palmdale.

- [Judy] Did you buy something else?
- Yes.

- And Mr. Ahmmad, you took a mortgage out?
- Yes.

[Judy] How much is your mortgage?

I bought the house February 15, 2022,
not January.

And I pay for it $710,000.

- [Judy] So, you paid $710?
- Yes.

- [Judy] Not $574.
- No.

Does that sound right to you?

Um, yeah, I might not be remembering
the exact amount.

Well, that's a big "not exactly,"
$574 to $710 is a big difference.

- Yeah, it was $710.
- In one case you lost money.

In one case, you made money.

- It was $710, I apologize.
- [Judy] Okay.

- So, $710?
-Yes.

- Yes, Honor.
-Thank you.

You're welcome.

How much is your mortgage payment
each month?

Uh, $5,100.

[Judy] And when you sold Mr. Ahmmad
the house you didn't have a place to go,

according to your complaint,
and you asked for a rent-back.

- I was in escrow.
- But you didn't have a place to go.

Whether you were in escrow
or in an igloo in Eskimo,

doesn't mean anything,
you didn't have a place to go.

[Mary] Yes, Correct.

So, you asked them if you could
stay in the house and rent it from them.

How many people are there
in your family?

My family, it's three kids.

So, who was living in the house?

- Your three child...
- It was me, my husband,

and I have my two sons that are with me.
My daughter doesn't live with me.

So, you asked if you could rent
the house back for a few months.

He was nice, he said yes.
How much rent did he ask for?

- He asked for $4,000.
- [Judy] He asked for $4,000?

Yes, for three bedrooms,
he asked for $4,000.

- Your Honor, no...
- Just a second.

He asked for $4,000 even though
his mortgage was $5,100?

Four thousand.
I paid a whole total together,

with everything, with security deposit,
I paid $12,000 all together.

That's not what I'm asking,
with security deposit.

That's what we're here for.
For your security deposit.

Yeah.

I'm asking you how much
did he originally ask you?

$4,000, was the...

[Judy] Ok, well that was
pretty generous of him

to ask for $4,000, considering
his mortgage was $5,100

and he doesn't know you
from a hole in the wall.

So, that makes him a very nice person.

To rent it back to you
so that he's at a loss every month

of $1,100. Do you understand?

- Yes, I do understand.
- [Judy] Great.

And what you're doing here
is you want your deposit back.

- Yes, that's correct.
- [Judy] Four thousand dollars.

And Mr. Ahmmad says

that not only did he have to spend $4,000

to fix the damage you and
your family caused to the house

while you were living there
for those few months,

but he had to spend an additional $6,000,
that's what he says.

He had to spend an additional $6,000
because the place was destroyed

because you had a disagreement with him

over the date that you were going to be
receiving your deposit back.

That's his claim.

So, there were a couple of things
that were sort of questionable to me...

I have not damaged, though.
I have pictures of the house when I left,

- [Judy] Just a second.
- there was no damage.

That's fine,
you're gonna show them to me.

The one thing that I found strange...
So now, I have the facts straight.

So you moved into the house
in February?

- In the house?
- [Judy] Yes.

- Yes.
- [Judy] So, you rented

- in February and March?
- [Mary] Yes.

- [Judy] Two months?
- We moved out April sixth.

[Judy] Okay. Now, you told him
you were moving out.

- Mm-hmm.
- [Judy] And he came to the house

to do an inspection.
And that was before your move-out date.

On what date did you meet together
for him to go through the house?

And let me refresh your recollection.

You came to the house,
he walked around with you

and at that time he said,
"these few things need repair."

And there was not
extensive damage anywhere.

And when he got to the house,
he rang the bell

and you opened the door
and you looked through the house.

Yes.

On what date was that,
do you remember?

The date that I gave him
my keys to the door?

No, no, that's not the date you moved out,

that's the date that he came there
to do a walkthrough

with you, your husband, and/or children,
I don't know who was there.

Your Honor,
he made a lot of walkthroughs.

[Judy] No, I'm asking for
the last one that he made.

- The last one?
- Yes.

The last one he did, I was,
I don't remember the exact date,

- but he had four or five walkthroughs.
- Do you remember the date?

- [Judy] What was the date?
- March 23.

And when you went to the house
on March 23rd,

and they had been living there February...
All of February and most of March.

- March.
- [Judy] Was the house in good shape

- on March 23rd?
- No.

[Judy] Was it in the same shape
on March 23rd

when you saw it on April 6th?

Uh, yes.

Because when I saw the damages
of my house,

I request her, "what is this?"
I show her.

No, just a second.
What did you show her?

About the floor damage, wall damage,
and there is...

[Judy] Oh, well show me on
the pictures that you took on March 23rd.

- Okay.
- He probably damaged it himself.

- From his construction that he did.
- [Judy] Just a second.

He did construction
while I was living there.

For the whole two months
he did construction.

I don't care.

[Judy] You know what I find problematic
in both your complaint and...

[Kazi] I would like to pass my evidence...

- [Judy] Shh! Just a second.
- Okay.

I'm gonna tell you what I find difficult
in both your complaint and his answer.

That when you left the house,
you took the doorbell with you.

- The doorbell...
- [Judy] When you left the house,

you took the doorbell with you!

He bought the house,
he's paid you for the house.

You've got $710,000.

On the day the house closed,
there is no question in my mind

that there was a doorbell!

- [Mary] Okay. Yes.
- Do you understand?

You have no right
to take anything from that house

once it's sold. You're a renter!

Your honor, I believe I do.
Because on the document

it says the only thing
I'm supposed to leave for him

is the washer and dryer and stove.

- [Judy] That's... Madam!

That's something...
Have you never bought property before

or are you just trying to be obtuse?

I would never think... I've bought
and sold dozens of homes.

Never, in one contract,

in all, and I'm a lawyer,
my husband's a lawyer,

grandchildren are lawyers,
my children are lawyers.

Not in one contract
does it ever talk about a doorbell.

It is assumed that you leave the doorbell,
that you leave the toilets...

[Mary] No, that was not a doorbell,
it was a ring camera!

[Judy] I don't care
if it was a ring camera!

I don't care if it was an MGM camera
or a Universal Picture camera!

it's not yours! It's part of the property.

You have no right to take it. Period!

Put your hand down, I'm...
You know, sometimes,

when it doesn't appear you're losing,
you're supposed to be quiet.

Do you understand?
You have no right to take certain things.

Once the house is sold,
nothing there belongs to you.

Nothing! You're a renter.

That was before the house was...

[Judy] Just a second.
Are you telling me

that when you stayed there
after the house was sold,

for the two months that you lived there,

are you telling me
you lived without a doorbell?

Shh! Are you telling me
that you lived without a doorbell?

No! You lived with a doorbell!

It's a ring...
Your Honor, it's a ring camera.

I don't care what it is,
you can't take it!

It's not the doorbell it's a ring camera.

You can take it off and
take it to your next property.

It's something that I bought.

You bought a lot of things
in that house, I'm sure.

Did you buy wallpaper?

Did you buy flooring?
Did you buy carpeting?

You can't take it.
It doesn't belong to you.

It travels with the property.
When you say it's a ring camera,

when you ring the doorbell,
does that activate the ring camera?

Yes, it does.

And when you took out the whole
ring camera, did you put in a doorbell?

The doorbell was already there,
I never touched the doorbell.

That's why I took the camera,

the ring camera,
'cause that belongs to me.

I bought that.
I didn't touch the doorbell.

That's not, that's part of the house.

That's part of the property,
It's in the wall.

Can I see a picture of what she took?

[Kazi] My doorbell is not here.
Here is the point...

[Mary] I did not touch the doorbell
Again, he did a lot of remodeling.

He probably did all the damages himself.
He's trying to blame it on me.

[Kazi]
No, that's not it at all.

[Judy]
You're not allowed to take it, period!

[Judy] You're not allowed to take it.
Now, so I'm starting with your case.

- You want your deposit back?
- Yes.

This gets deducted from your deposit.
Did you replace this?

[Kazi] Not yet.

Did you get an estimate
for its replacement?

- [Kazi] Yes, I did.
- I'd like to see it.

[Kazi] Okay.

And not only the doorbell, Your Honor,
she took, um, the curtain rods

and also all the lightbulbs.

- Just a second.
- [Kazi] Okay.

Give me some time.

[Judy]
I don't have time!

- [Kazi] All right.
- Can I please explain what happened

and what I went through with this guy
from day one?

- [Judy] No.
- That he let me rent...

- No.
- [Mary] Because I want to prove my case.

Because he's wrong and he's a crook.

No, no, no, Madam, you rented the house.

- [Mary] Yes.
- For $4,000 a month.

- [Mary] Yes.
- A three bedroom house.

[Mary] I paid him the amount.

And you paid him the amount,
and you stayed there.

If there was something wrong
with the house,

or if you didn't like the fact
that he was doing construction there,

or coming in and out of the house,
even though he was renting it to you

for $1,100 less
than his mortgage payment...

- Okay? You could've moved.
- Your Honor, Your Honor...

Let me just tell you
that he promised me from day...

He, let me just tell you
he kept texting me over and over,

bringing renters to show
my side of the place to live,

while we were living there.
He harassed me every day

by text messages and phone calls.

"Can I show the house?"
Every single day...

Who cares? I don't care!

It caused a lot of tension in my family!

I don't care. Move!

- She intentionally damaged...
- [Mary] I didn't do that.

These... Shh! Shh!

I'm gonna dismiss your case.
Do you understand?

One, two, three. It will be my joy.

[theme music playing]

[Narrator] Mary Tsotsikyan
claims her former landlord, Kazi Ahmmad,

refused to return her security deposit
and harassed her.

Kazi is counter-suing for vandalism.

Now, if you didn't like to live in a place
where you were being constantly harassed,

you and your husband now have
$110,000 profit from selling your house...

I gave him a $10,000 discount
on that property! And he...

Did you understand
what I just said to you?

Move! Say, "listen, it's not working out."

You're bringing too many people
in and out of the house,

it's not working for me.

[Judy] Wait just a second.
"We'd like to move out before."

Did you ever say that to him?
The answer is "no."

Because I had a lease with him.
And I don't get my deposit if I...

- [Judy] Just a second.
- Yes.

Did you ever say that to him?

"I would like to give you
your property back earlier.

We don't need it for two months
because I don't want to be harassed.

We're going to move out into a hotel
until our house is ready."

But you stayed there.

No, I told him that we can't keep having
people come and knock on our door...

Okay. Madam, madam.

You're not getting compensated for that.
You're a big girl.

You made a lot of money on this house.

You asked for a deal for him to
rent it back to you, he said fine.

He's gonna tell me that he wanted
to have his mortgage covered,

and you were not prepared,
you were not prepared to do that.

Your Honor, let me just tell you,

the living situation for that two months
that I was there was Hell with him.

He caused me all kinds of anxiety.

The last day, when I was supposed to
give him the keys so I can leave,

he opened the door and started arguing
with me in front of my 11-year-old kid.

He made him cry,
he caused a lot of trauma to our family.

Your Honor, her son was not there.

He is a monster, he doesn't care.
Then he did remodeling.

Now he's trying to get the money
out of me

to pay for it because he's broke,
that's why.

First of all, this comes off the deposit
and I want to see the estimate.

All I want is my $4,000 deposit,
security deposit back.

- I'm not sure you're gonna get it.
- I paid his rent on time,

like a good renter. All I wanted
was my deposit back. That's it.

On March 23rd... Shh!

On March 23rd of this year,
when he came

to do an initial walkthrough with you,

before you were leaving,
did you discuss deposit?

- Oh, yes! I made very sure...
- [Judy] The answer is "yes."

- The answer is "yes."
-Yes.

And at that time, did he say to you,

"This needs fixed, this needs fixed."
Did he say anything to you? Nothing.

Did he tell you that he had, by law,


Yes.

[Judy]
And what did you say to him?

I said, "That's fine,
I will wait the 20 days."

- But he was... Yes.
- [Judy] No, just a second.

You said "It was fine,
I'll wait the 20 days."

Yeah, to get my deposit, yes.

Okay. And then, what happened?

I have every text that we sent
to each other...

[Judy] I'm not reading every text
you sent each other.

I'm asking you, after March 23rd...
Go to your March 23rd texts...

I do have here.

He basically said he...

Not "basically." I said, go to
your March 23rd and thereafter...

I have it, Your Honor, for you.

After March 23rd. Go to your...
Do you have text messages?

- [Mary] Yes, it's here.
- You're looking at me.

Okay. I have a March 23 here.

He led me on in the text messages
saying, you help me pay my mortgage,

I will help and give you
your security deposit back.

I'm asking you to show me
the text messages after March 23rd...

- This is the March 23rd.
- ...and thereafter.

"You paid deposit back
when there isn't any damage

to the house. You don't use my deposit
for anything else.

You hold it for damages."
"Here is the notice,

I would like you to meet with you

and your husband, please
let me know when you are available."

"Please don't threat me with my deposit."

- I wasn't.
- He was threatening me.

- I wasn't.
- [Judy] Just a minute.

"Please don't threat me,"
you mean 'threaten me,'

with my deposit."

"Can you show me where on the contract
it says the washer and dryer stays."

That I found, it stays.
And we did leave it there.

She tried to take with her, that too.

Again, your honor
I'm just here for my deposit.

Because, I did my responsibilities
and paid the rent, I was a good tenant.

I kept the house beautifully clean
and everything.

I deserve my deposit back.
That's why I'm here.

I don't want to deal with him,
I don't want to see him ever again.

- I want my deposit.
- I know what you want.

- That's it!
- That's why we're in court!

If he felt as if you
deserved your deposit...

And if I left the house perfect,
he needs to give it to me...

because I didn't do no damages
to that property.

- [Judy] Okay.
- [Mary] He's lying, he...

"Can you show me where the contract
says the washer and dryer stays

because I don't see it.

I made it very clear to everyone
that I paid for it.

That it's going with me."

That was before
I looked at the document.

- [Judy] Just a second!
- Yes.

So, that's before you
looked at the document.

- [Mary] Yes.
- When did you look at the document?

I looked at it... It was at home
when I noticed it.

Did you respond to him after the 23rd,
and say to him "I realize

- that the washer and dryer stays."
-No! Because he's been threatening me.

Why am I gonna respond to him?
He's been a monster!

[Judy] Please show me photographs
of what the house looked like.

[Judy] Show me where...

Just a second, show me what
the house looked like on April 6th.

[Mary] This is the pictures I have.
A perfect little house.

Just a... Shh! Don't speak, just show me.

I'm just trying to say that, um,

I'm not here for anything empty,
I'm here for my deposit.

No, that's not what you're here for,
madam,

that's not what you filed a claim for.
An invasion of privacy,

- and pain and suffering...
- Yes! That too.

There's a whole bunch of things
that you're suing for.

Ok, I see these pictures and...

[Mary] The house is in...

Just a second
And this is your little dog?

[Mary] Yes, it is.

The house is in great shape,
he has no complaints...

He's gonna show me pictures.
I'm gonna look at them.

I deserve my deposit back,
that's all I know.

He, he wasted my time,
he lied to me, he...

[Judy] Can I see your photographs
of what the house looked like too?

Your Honor, this is the picture

of when I bought the property
with good condition.

- [Judy] Okay.
- And this is the picture for...

She intentionally damaged...

Don't tell me what she intentionally did.

- These are the damages...
- Shh!

- I didn't do that
- [Judy] Shh!

I'm gonna dismiss your case.
Do you understand?

One, two, three. It will be my joy.

Anybody who takes out
a doorbell ring, or whatever it is,

and leaves holes and mollies
in the wall,

which is exactly what you did,
just like the washer and dryer. Okay.

- Your Honor, this is the previous...
- [Judy] Don't speak.

- Sorry.
- Now, I'd like to see the photographs

that you took April 6th, or thereafter.

When did you take those photographs?
On what date?

I start March 23rd to April, April 6th.

I'd like to see the photographs.

Thank you, Your Honor.

You know some of this damage
sir, that were in the door hinges,

that's not damage that they did, that's
not damage that I can ascribe to them.

There are some holes in the walls,

I know you're showing me this,
that you have to deal with.

I sold my property to him as is.
I did have tenants there...

I'll tell you right now...

[Judy] No, I want to know what rent
the tenant was paying you.

That's a number, not a story!

[theme music playing]

[Narrator] Mary Tsotsikyan
accuses her former landlord, Kazi Ahmmad,

of keeping her security deposit
and harassing her.

Kazi claims Mary vandalized his house
before she left.

Okay. I don't know what this is
that you're showing me in this picture.

[Kazi] Because there is, uh,
is a water leak from there.

So the water goes in the cabinet,
inside.

- Okay. I assume that you
have some sort of insurance.

'Cause they didn't do this damage.

Okay.

They didn't do this damage
when they were there.

I would like, sir, to see
some of the pictures before and after.

This is moldy and it's dirty
so they didn't clean the bathtub.

- Where are you living now, sir?
- With my mom.

- [Judy] And who's living in the house?
- I rent it out.

What's the name of the people
that you rented the house to?

It's, uh, Walter.

[Judy]
When did you rent it, on what date?

I don't remember exact date.

- [Judy] You remember everything else.
- Okay.

You remember April 6th,
you remember March 23rd.

- Now remember, what day they came.
- Okay. June.

So actually, the house was...
Just a second.

So actually, the house was unrented
for about a month and a half.

Right.

- Because I...
- [Judy] Shh! Not a "because."

Now, how much did you rent the house for
to Walter?

Four thousand.

Could you explain to me
why you're renting it to somebody

For less than what you pay
in your mortgage?

Sure. So, here is the American dream,
because I came here 2013,

and I start to live with my mom.
So, me and my wife working so hard

to buy the house.
We save every penny, day by day,

and we saw a lot of house
the last couple years.

I'm not listening,
don't tell me your life story.

I want to know why you're renting
the house for less than your mortgage.

Because, no, the people is very nice

and they said they are going to increase
the rent January,

they give me $5,000. That's why.

- [Judy] Do you have a lease with them?
- I do. Yes.

And does the lease indicate
that the rent is being raised in January?

- Yes.
- [Judy] What?

Um, that whole thing that he said
that his place was not rented

for a month, that's a lie
because he was renting the place out

while I was living there.

He had renters all in the back side.

[Judy]
You mean they were living with you?

They were living in the back house.

The house is split with a wall
so there's empty rooms in the back.

So, he was literally renting it out,
boom-boom, like right away.

- Just a second
- While I was there.

Is what you are telling me,

that there are two sources of income
from that house?

- Yes
- Okay.

- That's interesting. Mr. Ahmmad.
- [Kazi] Yes.

- Listen to me carefully.
- Sure.

How many tenants do you have
in that house?

- Three. Oh.
- [Judy] Shh!

- Look at me. How many tenants?
- [Kazi] Sure.

- You have Walter.
- Yes.

- [Judy] And he pays you $4,000.
- Yes.

- Do you have another tenant?
-Yes.

- [Judy] The other tenant is in the back?
- Yes.

[Judy]
What does the other tenant pay you?

- Okay, the one...
- [Judy] No...

That's a figure.
What does the other tenant pay you?

Don't look up there.
You know exactly how much...

- Three thousand.
- [Judy] Three thousand.

- So, you cover your mortgage.
- Yes.

And you make a little money.

- Yes.
- Now, while she was living there...

- Pay attention!
- [Kazi] Yes.

While she was living there,
were you renting the back?

- Yes.
- [Judy] Yes.

And how much were you getting?

- Okay.
- That's a number!

- [Kazi] Okay.
- Before you answer the question, think!

How much were you getting
from the people in the back?

- Same.
- [Judy] Same what?

- Because that's not my...
- [Judy] Just a second

What do you mean the same?
The same as what?

The people that used to live there
long time with her.

That's her tenant, not mine.

- She just transferred to me.
- [Judy] Ah, I see.

- So, you had a tenant living in the back.
- [Mary] Yes.

- You had a tenant living in the back.
- Yes, Your Honor.

And what was the rent that you
were charging your tenant?

I sold my property to him as is.

I did have tenants there, yes, I did.

And one of the tenants,
I'll tell you right now, one...

No! I want to know what rent
the tenant was paying you.

That's what I'm saying...

[Judy] Just give me...
That's a number, not a story.

Um, one thousand...

uh, and I would say,
I would say $2,000 all together.

Sounds to me as if everybody
did very well.

You have to pay for the doorbell.

I want a receipt for the doorbell,
the rest of the pictures are nonsense.

and you had no loss of income.

Just a second. I want, I want
the estimate for the doorbell.

That's what I want.
That's gonna be deducted from the...

Put your hand down!
Otherwise you're gone.

Do you understand? Doorbell.

- Estimate.
- Eighty-four dollar.

- Eighty-four dollars?
- [Kazi] Yes, something like that.

[Judy]
Do the math for me.

I think it's three thousand,
nine hundred, whatever.

Four thousand dollars less $84.

Thirty-nine sixteen.

Thirty-nine sixteen.
So, I've looked at your photographs,

and I don't see any damage
that you can ascribe to the Plaintiff,

- that I think mitigates...
- No, Your Honor.

[Judy]
Mitigates in your favor,

other than the doorbell,
which I actually find outrageous.

Right, Your Honor.

And, and you had no loss of income.

So, clearly what you did
was purchase this house

and you make an income from this house.

- He does.
- [Judy] Every month.

After I pay my mortgage

and there is a service, like expenses,

and also there is,
like utilities bill is so expensive now...

- Property tax, insurance...
-[Judy] I don't care, $3,916.

Judgement for the Plaintiff.
Your counterclaim is dismissed.

We are finished with this case.
Goodbye!

This court is adjourned.

I deserve my security deposit back.
I did very well with paying the rent.

And I feel like this was fair.

I'm not happy about it
because I'm the buyer,

and I bought the house
there is a lot of damages

after she move out.

He was pretty much texting

and having renters come
and knock on my door every day

without even giving me a notice
ahead of time.

I was always giving to her two-three days
notice to go in the property.

It was not easy but you know,
we moved on to something better so...

I'm still living
in the American dream.

You know, this case is sort of an example
of, you read a complaint

and you read an answer and
you sort of have a pre-determination

of what the case might look like.
-Sure.

- and how that shifts, because
- [laughs]

l when I originally saw these people

I said "you know,
she took the doorbell ring,

doorbell and the ring thing with her.

- Mm-hmm.
- Why?"

Then there was
with the washer and dryer

she saw him taking it

and it was in the contract
that it stayed.

But then when I got to know
both of these people, Sarah,

they were both a little bit of hustlers.

- Uh-huh.
- Nobody told me up front

that there was a back apartment
that they rented.

And I said, why was this guy
being such a good guy?

And he didn't say "well actually,
I'm not that great of a guy

I rent the back side"
and I cover my expenses.

I rent the back for $3,000
and it all covers his expenses.

They actually, both of them,
deserved each other a little bit.

He didn't deserve another $6,000
in addition to the four.

Because I didn't see that much in damage.

You looked at the pictures...

Yeah, I saw some of the photos
and it looked like...

Holes, you know,
from pictures in the walls.

But not like he was describing
in his answer.

Like punched holes in the wall
and ripped up flooring.

- We didn't see any of that
- [Judy] There was nothing.

She made a lot of money.

- He's doing just fine.
- And he's doing just fine.

[Narrator]
Are you a victim of a scam?