You described yourself as a poor student going to USC.
Yes, I was very happy to find her home.
You just wanted to feel safe.
But instead faced with a predatory landlord.
There was no heating and my bedroom had no ventilation.
You've been getting sick and you're just on death's door.
So you were too sick to pay rent,
but not too sick to go on a backpacking trip.
-During that weekend, I was well. -Miraculously cured.
-Do you hear yourself? -I thought USC was a good school.
I thought that when people graduate, they must have learned something.
You have just proven the opposite of that.
Education has been falling.
Because they're letting morons like you in school.
[narrator] Now on Tribunal Justice.
[theme music playing]
[narrator] Today's case was filed in Los Angeles, California.
Your Honor, this is Case #3060, Tong versus Deng.
All parties have been sworn in. You may be seated.
-[Levy] Thank you, Cassandra. -[Britt] You're welcome.
-Okay, Miss Tong. -Mm-hmm.
[Levy] You're suing your former tenant, Mr. Deng, for unpaid rent,
eviction service fees, and others. The total amount of your damages
that you are suing here for is $3,479.
-Correct. -[Levy] Mr. Deng,
according to your answer, you described yourself
as a poor student going to USC.
You asked the Plaintiff multiple times to fix the issues in the house
that made it uninhabitable.
-And she refused. -That is correct.
[Levy] Furthermore, you also asked her to consider your financial constraints
and that you just wanted peace and to feel safe in your home,
but instead you were faced with a predatory landlord
-which was a lot for anyone to deal with. -Yes.
Alright, Miss Tong, tell us about the home that you rented to the Defendant.
It is a two-bedroom, single-family house.
My husband and I use it at our home for a very long time.
He used to go to USC as well.
Uh, we bought it in 2010.
Last year we relocated to Santa Clara, so we rent it out.
-Um... -[Levy] That's smart.
-Thank you. -Mm-hmm.
-It's two-bedroom. -Yes.
[Levy] Alright, tell us about this lease.
-It's a five-month short-term lease. -When did it start? When did it end?
It starts from August 1st and ends at December 31st, 2024.
How much was the rent?
The rent is $1,625 with Mr. Deng for one bedroom.
[Levy] And so security deposit was also $1,625.
Also $1,625, yes.
And according to my review of the lease, ma'am, you are responsible
-for the repairs, correct? -Yes.
[Levy] And you, sir, are responsible to promptly notify the landlord
of the need for any such repairs.
-Correct? -Correct.
[Levy] This is in the rules and regulations.
Any notice required by the terms of this lease agreement
shall be in writing via email. Correct?
-Correct. -[Levy] Correct, sir?
-Yes. -[Levy] Good.
If the tenant, that was you, sir, vacates the premises before the end of the lease,
the premises is considered abandoned and the landlord may take the full amount
of the security deposit. That's what you signed. Correct?
-Correct. -[Levy] All right. August first.
Now, you say that the Defendant moved in.
-Mm-hmm. -[Levy] Great. Can we take a look now
at photographs of the move-in date, the way the home looked?
Can we take a look at 01? Then 02. Then 03.
This is 01.
So this is the way that the Defendant's bedroom looked on August 1st.
-[Tong] Yes. -[Levy] Sir, is that correct?
-That's the general idea, yes. -[Levy] Thank you.
And 02, please.
And is that, sir, the way the bathroom looked when you moved in?
-[Deng] Yes. -[Levy] Can we go to 03, please?
[Levy] Sir, is that way the kitchen looked when you moved in?
-[Deng] Yes. -[Levy] Thank you.
Now, on August 31st, 2024, there was an incident
-at the home, is that correct? -[Tong] Yes.
[Levy] What happens then?
So that day, uh, my gardener reported that he smelled gas
while he was doing the yard work outside.
Um, I tried to reach out to Mr. Deng and I couldn't reach him at first.
Later I, uh, realized that he was traveling.
Um, so I called the gas company immediately.
They came and fixed the issue. They found that it was the flex pipe
of the water heater that is located in the basement.
That was leaking. So they replaced that flex pipe,
fixed the issue and checked everything,
all the appliances and put everything back.
[Levy] I see, sir, that you have something in front of you, is that correct?
Yes, this is the flex pipe with the hole that was leaking the gas.
[Levy] Okay, thank you. Could we also put up 04, please?
That shows the hole in the pipe that had caused the gas leak.
And on the right is the fix and the problem was solved.
-[Levy] Is that correct, sir? -That is correct.
[Levy] Now, when you were home, you didn't smell any gas, did you?
No. It's because it was in an undisclosed basement.
So I didn't even know about.
But Mr. Deng, according to your answer, you say that on October 10th, 2024,
you filed a complaint with the health department, correct?
-Yes. -[Levy] And what was it that you claimed
to have told them that resulted in what you provided us with,
which was a confirmation notice?
So what was it that you told them that caused them to open up a case
against the Plaintiff?
Uh, first, there was no heating ever since the pipe was fixed.
So from the duration of September all the way until--
September one. And by the way, you're in Los Angeles, right?
Yes. So there was no heating at that time.
It wasn't a problem because frankly, it wasn't that cold.
Also, there was mold in the ceiling and my bedroom had no ventilation.
So basically I couldn't smell gas because I don't have a window that opens
and the AC unit just recirculates interior air.
So I have no way of just smelling the gas.
You would have no way of knowing whether or not that hole
was created on August 31st or some day any time before.
You had no idea when that started?
Yeah, I had no idea. By the looks of it, it's really old.
[Levy] No, I get it's really old.
Now, I know that you go to USC. You go to the business school, correct?
-Yes. -[Levy] Do you have any expertise in mold?
Uh, no, that's why I called them.
They said they would come and get an inspector over.
-I never saw an inspector. -But you classified it as mold.
It was black. It was fuzzy.
Well, listen, there's a lot of black and fuzzy things,
but it doesn't mean it's mold.
You didn't show the photographs that I took, Your Honor.
You know what? Let's take a look at the photograph.
09 was a hood stove.
[Deng] Um, I was using it because I thought this was okay.
By the way, he did notify you about that, correct?
-Correct -Yes.
[Levy] And what did you do once he provided you with notice of that?
-I replaced it. -[Levy] Yes, you did.
He provided you with that notice in September of 2024.
You promptly replaced it with a brand-new range hood
delivered on September 9th and installed on September 11th.
-Yes. -[Levy] Yes?
-Yes. -[Levy] So now we know
that if you provide her with notice, she fixes it.
That's your experience with her as of September.
-Hindsight's always-- -No, not hindsight!
You know in September. Wha--
-Is, is he, ma'am... -Mm-hmm.
-Yes. -[Levy] Thank you.
I would like you to please show me the email that you sent to her
prior to calling the authorities
that she has not provided you with some proper service
or created a dangerous condition.
I do not have this email because she told me multiple times that--
[Levy] Nope, nope, nope, nope.
Did you ever tell him to disregard the lease with respect to notice provisions?
-No, -[Levy] Right, I don't believe
-she said that to you. -Okay.
So now I want you to show me some proof that the Plaintiff was provided
by you with a copy of this notice when you got it.
-I do not have such. -So you never notified her.
-Right? -Right.
[Levy] And would it be fair to say that the first time that you became aware
of any of the issues that he's raising here today
was what day?
November 4th, when he first emailed me about those conditions.
-[Levy] You agree with that? -That is correct.
-Written email notice, yes. -[Levy] Why?
Because, uh, multiple times in the previous exchanges, for example,
on September 2nd, number one, she agreed that this is very old
-and second, and I quote-- -[Levy] No, no, no, no, no--
-[Deng] Her gardener said-- -No, as soon as she knew about that,
she fixed it. What I'm referring to is that pipe--
She knew about the gas leak before.
No, no, she knew about it August 31st. You know what? I get it.
-I get it. -Her gardener said--
Maybe Judge Acker has more questions about that.
Thank you. Thank you, sir.
Just so we can clarify a few things, Miss Tong,
-it's a 100-plus-year-old Victorian home. -Exactly.
[Acker] That's in an historic preservation overlay zone.
-Yeah. -[Acker] I know that area well.
Really beautiful old homes.
And you were thrilled to find this place, weren't you, sir?
Yes, I was very happy to find it. Yes.
And I note in your answer that one of the bases that you cite
for not paying rent was that because it was so cold
over the four months that you were there,
you had high fevers and ongoing discomfort.
-Tell me a little bit about that. -[Deng] Right.
[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] Coming up on Tribunal Justice.
-That's a very nice suit. -Got it in China.
-Very nice. -Yes.
-Got it in China. -Fits you well.
-Cheap. -It's great. Cheap.
Just approximately what'd you pay for it?
[main theme playing]
[narrator] Landlord Lorelei Tong is suing former tenant Yu Xuan Deng
for nearly $3,500 in unpaid rent and eviction fees.
But Yu Xuan Deng says living conditions were filthy and dangerous,
and his former landlord ignored his concerns, so he owes nothing.
One of the bases that you cite for not paying rent
was that because it was so cold over the four months that you were there,
you had high fevers and ongoing discomfort.
-Tell me a little bit about that. -[Deng] Right.
Mostly in October onwards, but initially--
[Acker] October onwards. So that was when you started to get really sick?
-Yeah. -[Acker] But not so sick
that you couldn't take a backpacking trip.
Can we put up Exhibit six?
[Deng] I went on a budget backpacking trip.
-[Acker] On a budget backpacking trip. -[Deng] Yes.
[Acker] So you were too sick to pay rent, but not too sick to go
-on a budget backpacking trip -During that weekend,
-I was well. -[Acker] Miraculously cured.
-[laughing] -[Acker] That's so funny.
It just, it doesn't fly.
But maybe student life is different.
Okay, so let's refer to your email on November 3rd
because now this is long after the period when you've discovered
that you've been getting sick and having high fevers and...
-Yes. -You're just on death's door.
But only during the week, not for the weekend backpacking.
Show me where in this November communication to the Plaintiff
you say to her, these premises are so gosh darn dangerous
and cold that you should excuse me from the rent.
-Um, I didn't tell her here because-- -[Acker] No, you did not.
What did you say?
Um, I said that I was on a budget backpacking trip
-and I will try my best to pay the rent. -[Acker] What did you say?
What was your response?
Well, I offered him a way to settle this, you know,
I said pay me the last month's rent.
I have his deposit plus the 399 dollars,
uh, that I paid to the eviction service company.
Um, I offered that settlement for him and I didn't--
-[Acker] What was his response? -No response.
Miss Yan, could you take the stand, please?
Yes.
[Acker] The Defendant has brought you here today as a witness.
-Mm-hmm. Yes. -[Acker] You submitted
-a sworn witness statement. -Correct.
You say the house was always really cold, which made it uncomfortable.
-[Yan] Yes. -Throughout Yu's stay,
I would go to the house two to three times per week to study,
-eat dinner or hang out. -Yes.
-[Acker] But you had your own apartment. -Correct.
So why were you hanging out three times a week in this cold, dank,
freezing, uncomfortable place?
I mean, we were dating for five years. He's my boyfriend.
-So obviously-- -[Acker] Study in the library.
-No. -[Acker] How?
-I'm talking to the two of you... -[Yan] Yeah.
...as respectfully as I can. How dumb do you think we are?
We don't think you're dumb, Your Honor.
You bring your girlfriend to court to say the house was horrible.
And she's a slumlord.
I felt like I was in a dungeon. But we had to be there three days a week.
But he shouldn't have to pay his rent. Because I saw the statement
that you presented. I'm going to work really hard
to find every loophole I can
so I don't have to pay my rent.
It is a shocking degree of entitlement.
-Judge DiMango. -Oh, Mr. Deng.
-Yes, Your Honor. -You are a deceitful,
-misrepresenting opportunist... -[Deng laughing]
...with the support of a similarly opportunist girlfriend.
-So you can have a seat. -I have--
[DiMango] You can have a seat.
You know, I'm looking at your suit.
-That's a very nice suit. -Got it in China.
-[DiMango] Very nice. -Yes. Got it in China.
-[DiMango] Fits you well. -Cheap.
[DiMango] It's great. Cheap.
Just approximately. What'd you pay for it?
Oh, about like, let me think.
[DiMango] Oh, you don't know. You're making it up now.
You just want to see what you think's gonna work.
The bottom line is, instead of buying that beautiful suit,
you should've given her money for rent.
When did you travel to China?
Oh, I traveled. I went back to see my family multiple occasions.
Yes. Airfare is expensive.
-I would think, right? -I even told my parents.
I told them to stop buying me plane tickets--
Stop taking care of me. Stop buying me tickets.
My family literally skips meal in order for me to go to USC.
-[DiMango] Yeah. -And they really, really, really
want me to be there because they miss me.
[DiMango] They do. But you know what the problem is?
They don't know what you're doing where you're living.
I tried my best to give her money, and I didn't make all these complaints before.
-You tried your best to give her money. -By coming--
-[DiMango] Was she refusing it? -No, she wouldn't refuse no money.
-[DiMango] Of course. She's a land-- -She's greedy.
-[DiMango] What did you just say? -She's very greedy.
-Yeah. -[DiMango] Oh, oh.
She didn't notify me of the court hearing until nine days before the hearing.
I can't even submit evidence. She knows I'm in Canada.
What were you doing in Canada? You got family there too?
-No, I graduated in the summer. -[DiMango] Oh.
I told her many times. And she even submitted an eviction claim against me.
When I told her multiple times I'm going to Canada.
-[DiMango] Oh, you know-- -She filed an eviction--
-[DiMango] Just a second. -Yes.
'Cause you did say here, instead of working with me,
she immediately threatened eviction.
We just had proof that she did work with you.
She did say, and it's in messages here, that she was willing
to have you pay a certain amount of money
and use your security deposit towards the balance.
So she was willing to work with you.
-That moment, yes. -[DiMango] Sir, yes.
That moment, yes, but before, no.
Then you say here on November 2024, I encountered financial difficulties.
Not that you had those difficulties before,
but that's when you did.
-But I still managed to pay my rent... -[both] On time every month,
except that next month you were going to be late.
-So I mean-- -[Deng] Yes.
Do you hear yourself?
First of all, you, I don't know if you're as bad as he is, but keep your eyes open
because if this is the way he's lying to us,
I would keep track of his every move.
Because he's going to be lying to you too.
[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] Coming up on Tribunal Justice.
Let me tell you something.
If you did this to me... [laughs]
...we would have had a much different experience.
-This is what you said-- -You've been way more reasonable.
You think I'm more reasonable?
You are a moron.
[main theme playing]
[narrator] Lorelei Tong says former tenant, Yu Xuan Deng, only had excuses
for not paying rent while he took weekend trips.
She's suing for almost $3,500 in rent and eviction fees.
But Yu Xuan Deng says uninhabitable conditions made him sick.
He's reported her to the city, and she needs to pay for his suffering.
I'm not so sure why you think you're the perfect tenant.
I am not so sure why you're here at all. Because other than...
-you want to scam her out of the rent-- -Why doesn't--
Why doesn't she double-check?
Make sure everything is safe before? I mean--
-[DiMango] She did. -There's an uninhabitability clause,
implied habitability clause, sorry, Your Honor,
that she has to double-check and make sure everything's good.
[DiMango] And everything was okay until it wasn't.
And when it wasn't, it was fixed.
You can't guarantee that something's never gonna break.
And the only way she finds out if it breaks, based on what you signed
in this lease, was if you notify her by email as to the problem.
And you did not. And when they put that tenant from hell
in the dictionary, your picture pops up glowing
because that's what you are. I don't have anything else
-to say to you. -I do.
-Good. -[laughs]
You know, Mr. Deng, the problem is you kind of laughing this off.
-You live in Canada. -Yes.
[Levy] You here on a student visa at USC?
Not anymore 'cause I graduated.
When you were living in the Plaintiff's home,
filing complaints while you were in violation of your lease
by not giving her written notice,
you were a visitor in our country?
Let me ask you this because this is the woman who was looking for you.
She needed to fill that room because she needed you to do her favor
or, as you said, you missed the deadline for the school housing,
which, quote, "left me in urgent need of accommodations
for the final months of school."
Yes, I was very happy to find her home.
So this is what I see based upon his November 4th email to you.
-Mm-hmm. -[Levy] You say
you filed complaints against the city against you.
This is when you notify her for the first time.
You say to her, at a minimum, you owe me money
for the months that I occupied your home.
The stress and health costs associated with your constant harassment
-and unreasonable demands. -She called me like--
[Levy] I don't care what you called you.
This is-- We're talking about you now.
Let me tell you something, if you did this to me,
[laughs] we would have had a much different experience.
-[Levy] This is what you said-- -I think you've been way more reasonable.
You think I'm more reasonable? You are a moron.
-If you can solve these problems today... -[indistinct]
...we can renegotiate terms immediately during renovations and reconstructions.
That's what you think she's going to do as a result of this nonsense
that you told her about. You will pay all the fees of a reasonable
accommodation so I can live somewhere else.
I can file personal bankruptcy tomorrow and I don't see how that
-will be in your best interest. -That is true.
[Levy] You will refund me the rent for August,
for breach of the implied habitability clause,
and you will pay me to live somewhere else
within five miles of the USC campus.
Mr. Visitor to This Country, let me ask you this.
-Your family's in China. -That is correct.
What would happen if I as a student go to China
and I file false documents with the government
in an effort to avoid my financial responsibility
to a Chinese citizen?
What would happen if I did that in China?
I think they would do a better job finding out the other side of the story
instead of just ridicule.
You know, it's amazing. I thought USC was a good school.
I thought that when people graduate from that school, they must be smart.
They must have learned something. You have just proven the absolute
-opposite of that. -Education has been falling.
-[Levy] Yeah, it sure has. -Yup.
And you know why? Because they're letting morons
like you in school. I'm done.
Why didn't you ask your family for help?
I did. So, to clarify,
I never went back to China between the duration of my lease.
[Acker] I don't care about the timing of your travels.
Why not ask family for help if they could buy you tickets at some point?
Our company in China went bankrupt.
I am being 100% genuine.
-[Acker] I have no reason to dispute that. -Yeah, yeah.
Why not then say to the Plaintiff, "Hey, listen, my family's out of money,
I don't know what I'm going to do, let me get on a payment plan"?
But your approach instead was to sort of kind of gin up this
completely preposterous case against her.
I made a complaint about the mattress being hairy, dirty.
She said you can go buy new mattress.
I said, please, I don't have that much money.
And at that time I said, you know, my family is going through a hard--
[Acker] You submitted a picture of a mattress with some hair on it.
-[Deng] That is correct. -[Acker] But do you really think
that a hair on a mattress... Hairs, dust...
Do you think that those are the sorts of conditions that excuse you
-from paying rent? -At that time I was looking for a job.
By the way, the economy is really bad.
-And I've been dying-- -Please put your hand down.
No, this is not school.
I have something to say.
No, I know you have something to say, but I right now don't want to hear it.
-First of all-- -[Acker] No, you keep talking.
-Byrd, take her out. -Ma'am, step this way, please.
[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] Coming up on Tribunal Justice.
I don't really understand why the problem of China keeps coming up.
Because I'm not from China. I'm Canadian.
You know, maybe there's some subtle discrimination going on.
-I don't know-- -[Acker] You brought it up, sir.
You're the one who said Chinese courts were better.
You'd get a fairer hearing.
[main theme playing]
[narrator] Lorelei Tong says former tenant, Yu Xuan Deng,
only had excuses for not paying rent while he took weekend trips.
She's suing for almost $3,500 in rent and eviction fees.
But Yu Xuan Deng says uninhabitable conditions made him sick.
He's reported her to the city, and she needs to pay for his suffering.
You're going to have some real harsh realities coming to you
-in grown-up land, but good luck. -[Deng] Uh...
There's so many things I don't know 'cause it is my first time in America.
It is my first time leasing in America. It is my first time leasing in general.
First time to court. I don't know much of anything,
but I'm doing my best to present at least somewhat
of the case given the time frame and the fact I was in Canada
since I graduated. And I don't really understand
why the problem of China keeps coming up
because I'm not from China, I'm Canadian.
You know, maybe there's some subtle discrimination going on.
I don't know... maybe that's in your mind.
I don't know. I don't make assumptions like that.
But I'm just saying before you deliberate, even though you
probably made up your mind, I'm here to do the best I can
and hopefully get a good result. And that's it.
[Acker] You brought it up, sir.
You're the one who said that Chinese courts were better.
You'd get a fairer hearing.
So I think that it's wildly unfair based on what happened in this case
for you to even throw out any suggestion of discrimination. You brought it up, sir.
-Okay. -[Acker] Thank you.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Then at this point, we're going to retire to deliberate. Thank you both.
Court is now in recess. Parties will be recalled.
[dramatic music playing]
All right, we have another breach of contract claim.
That's what the case is after all of that nonsense that he was spewing.
As a landlord, the Plaintiff has an obligation, uh, to maintain
the living environment in an habitable manner.
The Defendant was under contractual obligation to notify via email
of any needed repairs or issues.
He provided no proof except the range hood that she fixed immediately.
And listen, he cried about his financial difficulties.
He's chosen to go to one of the most expensive business schools in the country.
For the USC Marshall School of Business,
it costs anywhere between 80,000 and $120,000 a year.
I looked it up online.
As I looked at the case in preparation, I wrote down
"He seems like an entitled brat." And you know I'm not always right.
As you two most certainly know, but I was dead on about him.
I believe she's made out her burden for every penny she's asking for.
But I think you are forgetting to take into account
the fact that he just didn't feel well.
He was under the weather on Monday through Friday,
but not on the weekends for the trip. Uh...
No, uh, on a serious note, I completely agree with you.
Um, he's made out no basis for nonpayment.
But I think that his use of the system
is particularly egregious when there are so many people
who have landlords who will not take care of properties.
Who do not respond to complaints.
He clogged up the system.
I find that really, really reprehensible.
I completely agree with you. I think she's entitled to every dollar.
I definitely agree with that. I mean, his smug, opportunist,
misleading position in this courtroom
under oath was, I found appalling.
Every word out of his mouth was meant to say poor, poor, pitiful me.
Feel sorry for me, feel sorry for my family's business
and look at what this woman has done to me.
-And then-- -She agreed. She said, just show me proof.
-Show me proof of the financial-- -She was willing.
She was willing. And that's why when he said she's done nothing here--
And I read that sentence to him in his paper.
That she didn't do anything but want to evict him
and that's so not true.
He knows exactly what he's doing and this was an opportunity that he took.
[dramatic music playing]
Court is back in session. Both parties are reminded that you're still under oath.
-[Levy] Thank you, Cassandra. -[Britt] You're welcome.
Before I render the judgment in this matter, Mr. Deng,
we don't discriminate here on Tribunal Justice
except when liars and scammers come in. We don't like them.
You deserved everything you got today. For you, Miss Tong,
we want to say thank you for bringing this case to us...
and for giving you a sense of... maybe a modicum
sense of justice. That when people...
like Mr. Deng take advantage and make false claims
and take away units that could otherwise be used in your homes.
That could be used for other needing students.
We have deliberated and reached a unanimous verdict.
And it should come as no surprise to you, sir.
And that is judgment in favor of the Plaintiff for her full ask, $3,479.
-Thank you. -Thank you so much.
Thank you, Your Honor.
This case has concluded. All parties are excused.
[triumphant music playing]
There's no ventilation in the bathroom.
So whenever we had to like open the window to let all the steam out
so that there a mold, I'm like standing butt naked
in front of the neighbors. You know? I-- It's crazy.
He can shut them off. He doesn't have to open them
while he's using the bathroom.
I believe that she owes me rent and that she should return
-me my deposit. -Nobody lives rent free.
[narrator] Got tenants with problems paying rent?
Tribunal Justice wants to move in on your case.
Find us on social media.
[theme music playing]