It’s sometimes said that uninvited guests are more welcome when they leave, but one California resident doesn’t know from personal experience.
Sascha Jovanovic said the one-time Airbnb tenant stayed at her Brentwood property for more than a year, refusing to leave or pay. He told the Los Angeles Times that Elizabeth Hirschhorn did not move when her stay ended in April 2022.
Not only did he live there for free, but Jovanovic also claimed that Hirschhorn wanted him to pay the relocation fee of $100,000.
“It’s like a dream, really,” Jovanovic told KTLA. “This is extortion. It’s like manipulation. No one should go through this. ”
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Hirschhorn’s attorney told the Times that “he is not required to pay rent because the city has never approved the unit for occupancy and that its shower was built without a permit.”
Because of those code violations, the city decided Jovanovic could not evict Hirschhorn, whom he claimed would not allow him to enter the unit to bring it up to code.
Jovanovic and his lawyer are disputing the allegations in the occupancy permit and are trying to get the woman evicted.
“He is a smart person who knows how to manipulate the system, and it is dangerous that people like this are allowed to do it,” Jovanovic said. “He’s obviously trying to extort a member of the community, and he’s done it before.”
Jovanovic referenced a Daily Mail article that claimed Hirschorn was evicted from a $2.6 million rental home in Oakland after refusing to leave. This allegedly happened just two months before she moved into Jovanovic’s home in Brentwood.
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Jovanovic and Hirschorn have since filed lawsuits against each other.
“I don’t settle,” Jovanovic said. “It’s not right, and people like this need to be stopped.”
As the standoff between the two parties continues and the case continues through the courts, Jovanovic has some advice for Airbnb owners.
“If you’re going to Airbnb, don’t rent out your place for more than 30 days,” he said. “That’s number one. Number two, do a background check.”
“This is an important warning to all homeowners out there,” Triessl added. “If you don’t have a certificate of occupancy, you won’t be able to rent your place, or you could be in the same situation as the landlord.”
KTLA has made several attempts to contact Hirschhorn and his attorney but has not yet received a response.
