Tenant obtains dismissal of eviction action; landlord required to make repairs

Client(s) Client L.H.

Jones Day represented a tenant who lives with her newborn in a basement apartment that lacked heat this winter, is infested by cockroaches and rodents, and experienced raw sewage backing up into the bathtub. Worse, she faced eviction: her landlord filed suit for possession, alleging that she owed over $14,000 in back rent. But the numerous housing code violations provided a defense, and the case has now settled on highly favorable terms. The landlord agreed to dismiss the case and repair seven enumerated code violations within 30 days; our client agreed to pay her rent going forward and only $1,000 in back rent, on a payment plan.