Sascha Jovanovic, an Airbnb host, is mired in a legal battle with his tenant, Elizabeth Hirschhorn, who has been occupying his Brentwood luxury guesthouse without paying rent for over 540 days according to the Los Angeles Times. The situation is complex and goes beyond a simple dispute, highlighting some of the issues arising from the intricacies of rental laws and Airbnb's policies.

In an unprecedented move, Hirschhorn claims she has a right to stay in the guesthouse despite her Airbnb contract having expired long ago. This assertion was supported by a Los Angeles judge who ruled that, under Los Angeles's rent control law, no legal reason exists to evict her. Adding further fuel to the fire, Hirschhorn demands a relocation fee of $100,000 from Jovanovic as a condition to willingly vacate the property.

Hirschhorn's attorney argues that his client is not obligated to pay rent as Jovanovic broke the law by renting an unapproved additional dwelling unit (ADU), referring to the city's codes that had not approved occupancy for the guesthouse and its shower that was built without a permit. The attorney accuses Jovanovic of trying to make money from an illegal unit and of resorting to bullying, harassment and false lawsuits in response to getting caught.

Jovanovic contends that he was merely trying to be an accommodating host with no clue of the upcoming turmoil. As a homeowner, despite the guesthouse lacking proper permits, he believes he has the right to evict a tenant who is overstaying her welcome.

In hopes of resolving the deadlock, Jovanovic has now filed two lawsuits against Hirschhorn with the assistance of his attorney, Sebastian Rucci. One aims to claim $58,000 in unpaid rent, while the other seeks her eviction citing unlawful detainer. However, the presiding judge dismissed the latter case, reinforcing that the city’s rent stabilization ordinance applies because the property consists of two units.

It is worth noting that Hischhorn does have a history of refusal to vacate a rental property.

Prior to moving into the Brentwood ADU, Hirschhorn was involved in a similar dispute with a landlord in Oakland, California, as revealed by the Daily Mail. This earlier dispute involved her refusal to vacate a $2.6 million rental due to COVID-19 concerns. Interestingly, the case was settled just before she moved into what was meant to be the short-term rental in Brentwood, in July 2021.

Both disputes have common elements, namely refusal to vacate and disagreements about accommodations. The current situation in Brentwood has elevated tensions, with Jovanovic potentially stuck with an unwanted roommate for the foreseeable future.