UPDATE: Feb. 17, 10:35 a.m.
A judge ruled in favor of Asantewaa Nkrumah Ture's case and gave her 30 days to move out (by March 16). The new owner must vacate the property until then.
Original story follows:
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Ever heard of a “move-in eviction?” It happens to tenants from time to time, and it is illegal.
Such a case involving a Southwest Philadelphia woman facing eviction raises questions about the strong-armed tactic some landlords use to get tenants to quickly vacate.
Imagine getting a notice on a Saturday that you have 30 days to vacate because the home you are renting was sold to a new owner, then seeing the new tenant one day later bringing in their items.
"By Sunday morning, Feb. 6 at around 10 a.m., (the new owner) began to move in. He had some boxes and things," Asantewaa Nkrumah Ture said. She had been renting her home on South 55th Street for years.
Related
“Trying to limit my access to the house. If I have guests over, they can only be in my bedroom. If I want to do things, I don’t have access to the rest of the house, even though the furniture here in mine.”
Her case is a bit complicated and involves possible questionable leases and conflicting terms.
As a member of the Philadelphia Tenants Union, she knows her rights. The new owner refused to comment.
However, not every renter knows their rights, and many have been subjected to these intimidating tactics.
Related
“It sort of falls under a much larger umbrella of essentially trying to make a place unlivable, so that someone will leave without taking them through the eviction process," said Vikram Patel, supervising attorney in the housing unit at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia.
“A landlord will show up and remove the doors or remove the windows or shut off the gas or electricity, doing what they can to try to force someone out of the property that they have a legal right to be in.”
He said that if a landlord tries to evict someone illegally, they can be sued in court for up to $2,000 per illegal eviction activity.
Related
Patel suggests being safe first and calling police so it’s on record, and have documents to prove you have a right to be there. Then contact a lawyer or Community Legal Services.
Ture believes, however, that government needs to get more involved.
“We need a much stronger good cause legislation," she added, "that has real teeth to protect the rights of tenants.”
