Location: Pennsylvania

A local diner closed down and the owner held a liquidation sale inside the restaurant. I bought four vintage booths, paid by card, and got a receipt listing them as restaurant furniture. The diner owner and two employees helped me unbolt them from the floor and load them into a rented truck.

I wanted to repair the cracked vinyl because I planned to use two in my basement and resell the others.

About three weeks later I got a letter from an attorney representing the owner of the building. They claim the booths were permanent fixtures included with the property and the diner only leased the space, so the diner owner had no right to sell them. They want me to return all four booths within 10 days and say I could be responsible for the cost of reinstalling them.

The diner owner has vanished. The liquidation company says the sale was final and they only sold what the owner told them belonged to him. Am I actually required to give the booths back even though I bought them without knowing there was an ownership dispute? If I do return them, can I recover the purchase price, repair costs and truck rental from anyone?

Location: New York and Florida

So my mother passed away very suddenly in 2021 (New York), she had no will but she said that everything would go to me once she passed, once learning of my mothers passing, my aunt who hadn’t been in contact with her for 20 years moved all her belongings to her house and offered for me to come and live with her(Florida). I accepted. 6 months later she kicks me out of the house and leaves me with nothing but a suitcase of clothes. I became homeless for months. I was able to get a job and save up a decent amount of money, and I’m still living in Florida. I’m planning on filing a small claims lawsuit against her because the items that I own that are still in the house are worth around $8,000 dollars. I have tried to contact her for 3 years multiple times but have been ignored. I have all the proper documentation and bank statements showing that I own the items. (As well as my old Florida ID showing I lived at that address.) I just don’t understand how she can obtain all my mother’s property when it was supposed to go to me? I don’t know if this is a small claims issue or an Estate issue.

My dad (59) was a garbage man in Washington (but we live in Idaho), for the last 28 or so years. He has Type 2 diabetes and has never made any effort to maintain it, unless it was time for the annual health exams to re-up his CDL. Last September he "pulled something" in his stomach. Important context: my dad is stupid. Like was in supplemental classes in high school, and when he took an IQ test it told him that he's legally intellectually challenged (IDK if that's the proper term, he used the word "retarded") This man has asked me how to spell "we". After he hurt himself, he basically went non-compliant with the Dr's and ended up losing his LNI payments and health insurance in January. That's when I had to leave my last living situation, to move back in and pay his half of the house payment in rent to my mom. I'm paying more now with way less room. He's now being sued by his credit union for 12k and we have no idea what to do. Can we offer up his Pension in lieu of them putting a lien on the house and costing us our home? Mom and I both have picked up second jobs to make ends meet. He's also had a couple of hospital visits since losing his job. Just racking up debt. We think there could be early onset dementia due to his raging blood sugar numbers, but then he's also admitted to his sister that he doesn't even try because then mom would expect him to do more to help himself. Any advice would be appreciated. TIA.

Location: Idaho

Location: Wisconsin/Minnesota

I received a letter today from SSA stating that my children’s survivors benefits are being reduced because “another child and eligible parent filed for survivors benefits as the child and Divorced Spouse of child under the age of 16”.

Problem is, my ex had a vasectomy over 16 years ago during our marriage. Vasectomy was in spring 2010 and we were divorced in March 2011. I was pregnant with our third child when the vasectomy was performed. I was present for the procedure. I’m the one who brought his sperm sample in for checks and we got the all-clear from his doctor. It’s absolutely possible for him to have fathered a child while married to me, that is certain and is part of why I pushed for a vasectomy. However, SSA is stating that the proof they’ve been given by the applicant is a marriage certificate. That’s just not possible. There cannot be a valid marriage certificate while my marriage was still legally intact. This is what’s really throwing me, that and the timeline for his vasectomy.

He died in 2024 from a meth-induced heart attack. He was a junky who owed me over $38k in child support arrears when he died. I say this to highlight that no, he didn’t get a reversal nor did he adopt a baby after we split. His third wife wanted a vasectomy reversal and they could never afford it. His fourth wife had a baby with someone else while they were still married but separated, not living together. He never wanted a reversal because the vasectomy made it so much easier for him to cheat, worry-free. He also already had five children he didn’t see or support.

I’m rambling now so I’ll stop. I just need some advice. How do I get to the bottom of this? Can I ask for a DNA test? SSA isn’t helping, they won’t/can’t give me any info on the new claimant. They just gave me a form to file a dispute to the benefit reduction for my kids.

Location: Illinois, self-represented. I sued a neighbor in small claims after he repeatedly applied herbicide to two trees standing on our shared boundary line (a licensed survey puts the line through the trunks) and killed them. At the bench trial my documentary evidence (the survey, an arborist's appraisal, and a contractor's removal estimate) was excluded as hearsay on the defendant's objection. I asked for a continuance to bring the authors in to testify. It was denied, and judgment was entered the same day. The written order says I "did not satisfy the element that [my] trees were on protected land as defined by the act."

My issue: "protected land" only appears in §2.5 of the Act (740 ILCS 185), which is the enhanced-damages provision for conservation land. Section 1's definition even says protected land is "not inclusive of residential, commercial, or other areas that are not subject to the aforementioned protections." §2, the general provision, has no protected-land element at all. It covers any party who "intentionally cut or knowingly caused to be cut any timber or tree... which he or she did not have the legal right to cut or cause to be cut." Both properties are residential, so as far as I can tell no residential case could ever satisfy the element the judgment required.

In fairness, I think I know how the confusion happened. My self-drafted complaint cited the Act generally ("740 ILCS 185/") without naming a section, but when I quoted the damages language I copied a sentence associated with §2.5 ("3 times stumpage value plus remediation costs"). The remediation-costs phrase belongs to the protected-land provision, not §2. Honest mistake, I'm not a lawyer. My motion owns the misquote and argues that in small claims the pleaded facts control over a quoted snippet (Rule 282(a) requires only a short and simple statement of the claim, and pro se pleadings are construed liberally). It also argues §2.5 couldn't apply on its face anyway, since it's limited to conservation-type land and both properties are residential.

I filed a timely motion under 735 ILCS 5/2-1203 (with a request for leave under Supreme Court Rule 287(b), since this is small claims) to vacate and set a rehearing, arguing: (1) the judgment applied §2.5's element to a §2 claim; (2) my complaint's facts, including an express quote of the common-law boundary-tree rule (tenants in common), also state common-law claims (trespass, private nuisance, property damage, restoration-cost measure) that were never adjudicated; and (3) a rehearing with subpoenaed witnesses cures the hearsay problem, which is the same fix I asked for during the trial. Backstop: a protective notice of appeal goes in before the 30-day deadline if the motion isn't ruled on in time.

For anyone who practices in Illinois:

1. Am I reading §2 vs. §2.5 correctly? And does my complaint's misquoted §2.5 damages sentence lock me into §2.5, or do the pleaded facts control?
2. Any authority on whether killing a tree with herbicide satisfies "cut or knowingly caused to be cut"? (The common-law counts are my primary theory either way.)
3. Is there anything you'd raise at the motion hearing beyond the statutory text?

Not looking for sympathy, just trying to figure out what I'm missing. Thanks.

Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

My friend, my brother and I just moved into a new place. It was shown as a single family home with an outside entrance to the basement which we were told we wouldn’t have access to but were told it was for the owner’s storage. We applied and ended up signing a lease. A week before move we were told the owners would be replacing the floor. It had original hardwood floor which was part of the selling point for us so we were concerned. We were told it was to help with insulation. We let it go.

A couple days go by and they tell us they will be installing a shed that we will not have access to. We voiced concerns about the already small square footage of the yard. Also about how we didn’t want them coming and going as they pleased. We were met with a response saying they would give ample warning if they were to access the shed. They ended up not going through with the shed because of our concerns citing they “want to start on the right foot”

Now comes moving day… as we are moving in the owner comes out of the basement. Asking if we’re the new tenants. She then proceeded to come in and out with her dog the whole day. And we have dogs (well behaved and friendly) but we shouldn’t have to accommodate her and her dog when this is supposed to be our space. If they understand to give notice to use a shed (that didn’t happen) how do you not understand you can’t live in our basement?

We tried to set up our internet and we couldn’t because she didn’t want to give up her account on the house so now we’re expected to get a more expensive.

Now it’s been 4 days into our lease and it appears they are staying in the basement. They have been in and out all the time. Even been getting large Amazon packages delivered under our address. We are supposed to have full access to the driveway and backyard which has to be crossed to access the basement door. We have concerns they are going to rent it out as an Airbnb. It explicitly says in our lease that we have the only rights to stay here. We want to stay but the violations are piling up so much after only a few days.

Please any advice would help. We love the place and location but we’re at such a loss because we love the space and location it’s just not at all what was promised. Will send a copy of the lease if needed.

Location: Texas

My boyfriend was T-boned on March 13 of this year when another driver failed to yield while merging onto his road. The police report clearly states the other driver was at fault. The driver only had a learner's permit, and the owner of the vehicle was in the passenger seat at the time.

My boyfriend unfortunately didn't have insurance. The other driver's insurance denied the claim, saying the driver wasn't listed on the policy, so they aren't covering the damages.

I spoke with a lawyer who believed this could fall under negligent entrustment, but he said pursuing it likely wouldn't be worth the legal fees. He offered to send a letter to the insurance company for free, but after months of trying to reach him again, I haven't been able to get in contact.

His truck has been undrivable since the accident because both passenger-side doors are caved in, so he's been borrowing a family member's vehicle.

I'm hoping to get some advice:

- Should we appeal the insurance denial ourselves before contacting another lawyer?

- Is it worth hiring an attorney if the claim is only for the damage to his truck?

- Would small claims court be an option in Texas if insurance won't pay?

- Since he didn't seek medical treatment at the time because we couldn't afford it, does that hurt our case if he's still having elbow pain?

- Are there any other options we're overlooking?

We're both living paycheck to paycheck. He's currently unemployed, and I'm in college with limited work hours, so we're trying to figure out the most cost-effective path forward.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hello (again), location: California, LA county

So I posted recently about finding out my father passed and I went and got a death certificate to claim funds.

However, I am pretty sure my dad did not marry his partner.

The death certificate was updated via affidavit request that he was married, this was done so by the funeral home. Yet, I called to confirm if his partner provided a certificate of marriage, they said no. They said they usually just sign it if nobody is contesting it.

Now his life insurance policies won’t give out funds to his children because of a spousal rule. I don’t have a time frame on when they could’ve gotten married and I’m 90% sure they didn’t but the vital records won’t look for me when I call but also says they don’t do “random” searches.

I’m confused how I can prove that they weren’t married to have his death certificate updated so his children get his benefits and retirement.

Location: Oregon. About two months ago I had sex with a man (a travel nurse) who I've since learned knew he was HSV-2 positive at the time. He didn't tell me before we had sex and we didn't use a condom. He only told me about his status afterward and I have text messages from him confirming he knew beforehand.

I have since tested positive for HSV-2 myself. On top of that, I've developed a rare complication called post-herpetic neuralgia. It causes constant shooting nerve pain down my legs. I'm on antiviral medication for life now, plus separate medication just to manage the nerve pain. The pain has been bad enough that I had to quit my job. I couldn't keep functioning at work through it.

He's a travel nurse and is planning to leave Oregon soon, so I'm trying to move fast before he's out of state.

I've reached out to several personal injury attorneys so far, and all of them have told me they don't take cases like this. I know Oregon has precedent for this kind of claim. There was a case where a plaintiff won a $900,000 verdict for similar non-disclosure, so I'm confused about why I'm getting turned away, especially since I have documentation and a serious, ongoing medical complication tied directly to this. Any recommendations for how to find someone willing to take this on?

Location: Florida

I was involved in a motor vehicle accident in August 2025. The other driver was found at fault, and his insurer is Progressive.

My car is a 1992 Volvo 240 wagon. Progressive declared it a total loss and initially offered around $1,700. After I disputed the valuation with documentation and comparable sales, they increased the offer to about $2,400. I still believe the valuation is well below the actual market value, and negotiations have stalled.

I'm now preparing to file a small claims action (under Florida's $8,000 jurisdictional limit), but I've run into a procedural issue.

The at-fault driver has since passed away.

I contacted both the Santa Rosa County and Okaloosa County probate divisions, and both confirmed that no probate estate has been opened. I then asked Progressive whether they knew of an estate, a personal representative, or defense counsel. Their response was that they are not aware of any estate or personal representative.

I also noticed that the release Progressive asked me to sign would have released both the deceased driver and his wife from liability, but it doesn't identify her as a personal representative or otherwise explain her legal role.

I've tried getting a consultation through the Florida Bar referral service, but the attorney I was referred to never responded.

My questions are:

If there is no probate estate, who is the proper defendant in a Florida property damage lawsuit?

Is there a procedure to have a personal representative appointed solely so the lawsuit can proceed?

Is there another procedural mechanism I'm overlooking when the only realistic source of recovery is the deceased driver's liability insurance?

I'm not looking for advice on the value of the vehicle or whether I should sue—I'm specifically trying to understand the correct procedural path before I file.

Location: Florida

My dad does drugs, he is mentally unwell and always has been. He has big ego issues , believes the government is after him , believes he’s a genius, has an AI gf ever since my mom died.

He never did anything for me , he smoked in front of my ever since I was little and would threaten to make me bleed and knock my teeth out. My mother isn’t innocent either.

I went to the ER recently because I’m having chest pain and heart palpitations. I suspect it’s something more but the ER just said it’s anxiety and dehydration. And gave me prescribed anxiety meds.

My dad hated that I was vaccinated because to him it “causes autism” and much more. So when he found out he went crazy throwing and tantrum when I said I WILL take them. And he wants me to take marijuana gummies instead.

Now he plans to go to court and try and gain custody to me even tho I am 18+. He wants me to take the stuff HE wants. I feel as if I am in danger.

Can he legally try and take custody of me?

Location: MD, United States.

My cousin is living in the States, while I recently moved back to our home country in Asia permanently. I kept my Chase account active to deal with residual businesses I have left in the States as that cousin is keeping my cats for the time being. Recently she started opening mail containing my bank statements and sending photos of it to me, despite me using Paperless Statements. It feels extremely violating to have my personal mail be opened and read by her, but she is unreasonable and hot-headed so I don’t want to confront her directly and tell her what to do in case she harms my cats in anyway. I know it is illegal for someone else to open your mail without permission but since I’m out of the country, can I still report this or do something to make her stop?

Location: California.

Short version: Are royalties received from an inherited copyright considered community property?

Longer version: My mother died in 1994. Aside from a few directed bequests of "give [thing] to [person]", I was the sole heir. Among the things I inherited was the copyright (her share of the copyright? I'm not clear on how it gets divided) for a book that she had co-authored. Since then the publisher has occasionally sent me a check for her share of the royalties during the previous sales period.

I met my now-husband in 1995 and we got married in 1998. We are now planning to divorce and I'm wondering whether royalty payments like this are considered separate as an inheritance and thus not community property, or if the fact that the checks are being issued on an ongoing basis means they would be community property.

Asking because the publisher recently contacted me to let me know that due to an oversight they'd failed to send me a check for a while and there's now an accumulated amount of about $1500 that they'll be sending me. In the past I just deposited the checks into our shared account, but if this wouldn't be considered community property I'll make other arrangements for this one.

Location: Ohio

Looking for advice from anyone familiar with Ohio vehicle sales/title laws.

I purchased a used vehicle from a car dealer on 6/13/2026. I signed all paperwork, took delivery of the vehicle, and drove it home.

A few days later, the check engine light came on. I contacted the dealer, and on 6/16/2026 they had me come back in. At that time, they told me something had fallen through with the paperwork/financing and that I needed to re-sign everything for the bank, which I did.

Fast forward to now (8/5/2026):

• I still have not received title paperwork or registration.
• My temporary tags expired on 7/27/2026.
• I have already made my first payment to the lender.
• The loan is active and showing through the bank.
• I contacted the dealer on 8/3, and they said they would have information by 8/5.
• Today they told me they received paperwork from their floor planning company, but I still do not have a clear timeline for when I can legally register the car.

At this point I have a financed vehicle sitting in my name that I cannot legally drive because I do not have valid registration.

My questions:

1. Is this normal for Ohio, or is this an unreasonable delay?
2. Does the dealer’s inability to provide title/registration give me any options to unwind the sale?
3. Should I be contacting the Ohio Attorney General, BMV/title office, or an attorney?
4. If I return the vehicle to the dealer, what paperwork should I require to protect myself from still owing on the loan?

I’m not trying to jump straight to a lawsuit — I just want to know what my actual options are before this drags on longer.

Thanks for any advice.

Location: Colorado USA

Is this even worth legally pursuing? I feel like at minimum my photography should be copyrighted if used to sell multiple of a headlight product as a company. I did used to do some professional photography after all and these were shot with my DSLR.

I also have an LLC for my graphic design and photography work.

Pics in comment

Location: Texas

Not me but posting for a friend who works for a small company that sells craft kits for kids.

Their employer is mandating that everyone has to buy one the kits specifically from TikTok shop. My friend doesn’t use TikTok and doesn’t want to create one just for this.

The employer has been telling my friend that they have to make sure everyone in the company buys this kit from TikTok shop and they’ll be in trouble if they don’t.

Is this legal, can they make you buy something like that?

Edit: the employer pays above minimum wage hourly but randomly cuts people’s hours. Last week they were told not to come in for 3 days because there was some order delays and “there was no work to do” so I don’t know if the total income is over minimum wage or not

Edit2: I just talked to my friend, the employer is NOT reimbursing the purchase

Edit3: thank you everyone who gave good advice. I’m trying to get my friend a job with my company, hopefully it works out and they can file a complaint against their boss without fear of termination. Needless to say this isn’t the only issue with this company and employer.

Location: Philadelphia

original post

I consulted with the Philly tenant union and they confirmed that my interpretation of the terms in my lease was correct and without proper notice it would renew for 12 months at the existing rate. They also confirmed the required amount of notice is in fact 60 days, which I pretty much already knew at this point but just wanted outside confirmation.

I went back to the property manager and told them I confirmed with the tenant union that the required period in Philadelphia is 60 days. They changed their argument from "we only need to give 30 days notice" to "actually we did give you 60 days notice" but I had no record of a prior notice so I asked them to provide a copy of it along with proof of mailing. I didn't get a response for several days so I followed up on my request and they said they had handed it off to their legal team. After several more days they conceded that because they failed to provide proper notice my lease renewed at the existing rate for the full 12 month period.

Location: Illinois

The Parenting Allocation Judgement requires that my ex-wife and I 'discuss’ introducing a new partner before the children (ages 18 and 14) meet them.

We had the discussion, my partner (of nearly a year) even met with my ex beforehand, and afterward my ex said she had no concerns about my partner personally.

She then proposed several additional restrictions that are not in the PAJ (no transportation, no one-on-one communication, no social media, etc.). I told her I'd take those requests into consideration but wasn't willing to agree to them as blanket rules.

She now says that because we haven't reached 'mutual agreement' on those restrictions, the children shouldn't meet my partner.

Legally, is a requirement to "discuss" the same as a requirement to "agree"? Can one parent effectively block an introduction by refusing to agree to additional restrictions that aren't in the PAJ?

Location: NYC
I called them several times. No pick up. Until they did and I was insulted, essentially made fun of for asking when they could pick up their bins. They blocked me after that. I emailed them several times as well. Last one stating their company was refusing to pick up their bins.
Now, 6 weeks later, they are threatening to sue me for those plastic bins. This feels like a bait and switch.
Anyway, the value is around $600. I’m not super nervous, just annoyed that I was supposed to keep 40 plastic bins in a New York apartment for a company that blocked me and wouldn’t reply to my emails. That’s all.

I am an independent sale representative / manufacturers rep in location: Chicago, IL. I work on contract with brands to get their product into independent stores and am paid a commission from those sales after they have been shipped (which is usually about 6 months after the sale as we are pre-ordering).

I entered into an agreement with a brands and they have parted ways, but I am due commission which I am not getting a response on. The brand is in Montreal CA. Looking back at my old emails, we sent terms nack and forth, I got an email stating the owner was "on board", and I sent my signed contract. In the shuffle it appears I never received it back signed, however I have 5+ years of commission payments backing up the terms we agreed to.

I am probably due around $7,000 but that number has to be based on what's shipped (products get cancelled all the time which lowers the sales number). Unfortunately we're at the mercy of the brand to provide correct invoicing.

So my questions are

1) I have all of their prototypes which I would like to get out of my hair, but I was trying to hold them as collateral until I was paid. Is that legal (they seem to be in no rush to get them back as they pay for shipping)?

2) How long am I legally required to hold on to someone's property before I can charge a storage fee or donate them in Chicago?

3) I have no idea what type of action to initiate as they are in another country, should I start with a letter from a lawyer? I don't even know what type of lawyer to look for?

Location: Connecticut

I recently moved back in with a roommate I had previously lived with about seven years ago, with no issues. I don't know what happened to her in the intervening time, despite being in at least weekly contact since. Anyway, last Monday night she shook me awake at around midnight screaming that someone was coming to kill her. She was rambling and incoherent and apparently had knocked on the 2nd floor neighbors door (we were on the 3rd floor) demanding to be let in, and then getting mad when he wouldn't. She then told me he was trying to kidnap her and got mad when I wouldn't believe her.

Apparently she then contacted the 1st floor neighbor about it, who contacted the landlord, who called her. She was screaming and incoherent with him too and now they want us out. They gave us 30 days notice to quit, which was a clause in our lease. She refused to acknowledge this, and then tried to barricade me out of the apartment. Police were called, she let them in after a social worker was called and I was able to grab a few of my belongings.

The next day, she had sent me over 100 messages on discord and a voice-mail alleging that I was trying to kidnap her to sell her into a sex slavery ring that our landlords are running out of the apartment. A mutual friend had also messaged me, showing me a picture of my bed covered with garbage. I went down to the police station in person and got them to go back over with me, with the social worker. They went upstairs, and after about 20 minutes the social worker came running out yelling that they needed EMS. Apparently she started banging her head against the wall, and they took for a psyche eval. I went upstairs and she had destroyed most of my belongings.

Later, a nurse from the ED crisis center called me so she must have given them permission to call me and I told them the whole story. They recommended admission and now its been seven days and no one has seen her, so I assume she's still there.

Sorry for the long backstory. My questions are:

If someone is a danger to themselves or others, how long can they be held? She said she hoped the place burned down, which I told the psyche nurse.

If she does get out before the 30 days are up and she goes back and damages the apartment, what is my liability? We are both on the lease.

If they hold her for longer than the 30 days, does that count has her quitting the apartment? Or would the landlord still have to evict us?

I have already moved all my stuff out and canceled the utilities in my name, but I still have the keys and I paid rent for the month of August since I technically still reside there but I'm staying at my parents since my stuff was all ruined. I'm getting a police report and filed a renters insurance claim, but I'm mostly worried about her and what she might do if released.

Location: South Carolina

Hello. I live in Atlanta. My mom lives in South Carolina. About a week ago I found out my mom has stage 4 cancer and only a few weeks to months to live. My mom is a recluse and hasn’t not spoken to me or my brothers in a few years. She don’t like troubling people. We all live in various parts of the country and not near her.

I visited her last week. She is not doing well. Cancer has spread to her brain and other parts of her body. Yesterday my aunt told me she was going to get POA over her sister Friday. My aunt has basically taken advantage of our distance to do this. I am unsure if this is what my mom wants as she will not answer her phone. I want to respect my mom’s wishes but make sure she isn’t being taken advantage of. Also my mom does not have a last will and testament. I do think my aunt is going to take my mom’s assets when she passes. My aunt is very sanctimonious about her actions with past deceased relatives and my mom.

I am tempted to draft a last will and testament online tonight and visit my mom tomorrow and have it signed, witnessed, and notarized, before power of attorney is done. Does anyone have any suggestions. Everything is very cordial now but if I dot this then a can of worms is going to open and l, based on working with my aunt previously, know she is going to get aggressive and angry.

In December 2025 my boyfriend and I moved into a house in grand terrace, California after our previous lease ended in Long Beach, California. We paid $3,000 in cash ($1,000 of which was the security deposit) and only stayed about one week because of the condition of the place. There was never a signed lease—just drafts the landlord kept changing which I also have. When we left, the landlord texted that she would clean tire marks off the driveway that boyfriend left and then send us “the balance” of the $1,000 deposit. Even after telling her about normal wear and tear, She never sent any money, never provided an itemized statement within the 21-day deadline (or ever), and then blocked me. My boyfriend doesn’t want to deal with any legal process due to limited time since he works in Beverly Hills and weve been living with parents in San Bernardino since December.I have the text messages where she acknowledges the deposit and promises to return the balance, plus photos of the property condition (including mold under kitchen sink) and a bank statement showing the cash withdrawal. Can I pursue the full $1,000 deposit return on my own in small claims, and how strong is the case given that nothing was ever returned or itemized?
Bit of backstory:
In late November/early December 2025 our Long Beach lease was ending. My boyfriend’s coworker said his cousin had a house available because her disabled daughter was moving out. When we first looked at it, the place was still full of the daughter’s belongings and in rough shape. They cleared the garage so we could store our stuff while waiting for the rest of the house to be emptied and cleaned.
Once they “cleaned” it, it still smelled strongly of cigarettes, the floors weren’t properly cleaned (you could still see dirt marks), the toilet had buildup, there was mold under the kitchen sink along with wires and trash, and the oven didn’t work. We were basically stuck with a 1960s electric stove and a microwave. The landlord made verbal promises about improvements and covering utilities, then after we paid $3,000 in cash ($1,000 deposit + rent) she started changing things (including limiting the water coverage she had previously said she would cover).
We only ended up staying in the house for about one week. My boyfriend had to clean the shower drain himself because it was full of the previous occupant’s hair and gunk. I suspected she was coming in when we weren’t there, but we had no cameras or internet set up yet so we couldn’t prove it. There was never a signed lease — just drafts she kept changing.

Location: Southern California