As Bay real estate attorneys and fervent Warriors fans (not necessarily in that order), the Law Offices of Bornstein Law wish our team the best of luck in bringing another NBA Championship home. We nonetheless felt obligated to chime in on an amusing side story that recently graced itself in media outlets.
According to documents obtained by Deadspin.com, JaVale McGee was sued by his ex-landlord, Matthew T. Johnson, for a variety of damages the backup center left behind from his one-season stint with the Dallas Mavericks.
In an action dated Nov. 1, 2016, McGee’s former landlord claims McGee skipped out of the rent for the last half of September 2016, owes money in late rent fees, and caused "significant damage to the property, including, but not limited to, damage to flooring, screen doors, area rugs, furniture, shelving, pots and pans, a curtain rod, and a floor mat."
The allegation also claims that a showerhead, a closet handle, dishes, glasses and towels were missing from the property.
Yet perhaps most damning of all, McGee housed his hairless cat, Raja, in the Dallas apartment for 178 days, in violation of the lease agreement. McGee admitted to the illicit cat possession and volunteered to pay $9,350 in cat-related fees.
JaVale McGee's feline companion, Raja, showcased here in a Feb. 2016 tweet.
The landlord claims the state of the Highland Park, Texas, apartment was so bad, he couldn’t re-rent it for two months.
McGee, who’s resurgence has helped lead the Warriors to three consecutive NBA Finals, reportedly will pay his ex-landlord $26,000, which foots the bill for unpaid rent, and violating the no-pet stipulation, no less than $12,000 in repairs, and $10,000 for legal fees.
Here at Bornstein Law, we see these type of tenant breaches all the time, not just from 7’ tall NBA players resurrecting their careers. Under California law, tenants must take reasonable care of the property and they are obligated to pay for repairs of damages from their neglect or abuse that exceed normal wear and tear.
If you are a landlord in San Francisco, Oakland, or neighboring city, you need to know you have substantial legal rights and procedural advantages when protecting your investment property. If you have tenants that are creating damage to your unit, it is imperative to consult with a competent real estate attorney to explore the options you have legally available.
Since landlord-tenant disputes can quickly sour, it’s best to consult with Bornstein Law early on to avoid further property damage and vexing legal issues down the road. We can't do alley-oops like JaVale McGee, but if you need sound legal advice, well, we can do that.
Best of luck, JaVale. We're rooting for you.
As the founding attorney of Bornstein Law, Broker of Record for Bay Property Group and expert witness, Daniel Bornstein is a foremost and well-respected expert in landlord-tenant disputes and other property management issues with over 23 years of experience in handling real estate and civil litigation related disputes.
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415 409 7611
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