A tenant who was horrified that the building he was renting was infested with drug criminals and even bedbugs refused to pay rent and moved out, saying, “It has undermined the stability of the residence.”
Regarding this, the court ruled that it is a violation of the law to vacate without consulting the landlord and then not pay rent.
On the 26th (local time), French daily ‘Le Parisien’ reported the story of Elodie, who lives with her 3-year-old daughter.
In 2018, Elodie moved into a 38㎡ (approximately 11 pyeong) studio-style apartment with one room and one living room in the Belleville district, northwest of Paris, paying a monthly rent of 890 euros (approximately 1.2 million won).
However, three months later, the stability of the residence was shattered when a strange family moved in next door.
Strange moans and screams rang out day and night, and drunk people and people could often be seen lying on the stairs like zombies.
To make matters worse, bed bugs appeared in the building.
Elodie explained the situation to the landlord for two years and asked for action, but when she did not receive a clear answer, she moved out without paying rent.
Accordingly, the landlord filed a lawsuit against Elodie, demanding payment of overdue rent.
Elodie’s side countered, saying, “The landlord did not fulfill its obligation to ensure that the tenant can enjoy the accommodation in peace. Even if Elodie is responsible, she should only be charged half of the rent, not the full amount.”
The French court pointed out, “It was wrong for Elodie to arbitrarily evict without following legal procedures and not pay rent.”
However, “Elodie has been living in anxiety and fear for a long time due to her neighbor’s apparent drug addiction, multiple sexual activities, and threatening people,” he said. “This is a violation of the landlord’s obligation to ensure that tenants can enjoy the accommodation in peace.” “He pointed out.
Therefore, “the landlord must pay Elodie 8,195 euros (approximately 11.4 million won), equivalent to a quarter of the unpaid rent,” and ordered only ¾ of the overdue monthly rent to be collected.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.