Veteran’s Success Story

Approximately two months into a deployment, a younger soldier encountered a significant challenge with his apartment management. A misunderstanding led the apartment company to initiate a forcible detainer action against him, mistakenly believing he had not paid his rent. This soldier was new to renting, having transitioned from a standard lease to a month-to-month arrangement, and was dealing with communication issues with the management.

Despite his diligent efforts to provide notice of termination, he struggled to reach the management due to their poor communication practices. To resolve the situation, he left the keys in an envelope in the drop box, hoping it would be sufficient to end his tenancy.

When LSND was alerted to the situation, we immediately acted. After discussing the matter with the opposing attorney, it became evident that while our client had indeed attempted to provide notice, he had been thwarted by the management’s lack of responsiveness. LSND undertook an exhaustive investigation, documenting numerous attempts to contact the management company through various means—posing as a prospective tenant, a job applicant, and even a current tenant—only to be met with continued silence.

This detailed documentation became a crucial asset in our defense. As a result, the management’s law firm agreed to dismiss the forcible detainer action. However, a new issue emerged: the apartment company claimed the soldier owed “back rent” due to the notice issue. Determined to resolve this, LSND persisted in trying to reach a manager and eventually succeeded.

With extensive evidence of our failed attempts to communicate in hand, LSND negotiated a fair resolution. The management company, acknowledging our documentation, agreed to a significantly reduced amount. Instead of the four months of back rent initially demanded, they settled for just one month and waived additional charges for new keys and cleaning.

This outcome saved the soldier thousands of dollars and avoided a default judgment, which would have been detrimental given his deployment status. This success story underscores the importance of persistence and meticulous documentation in advocating for clients. Our efforts not only resolved the issue but also ensured that the soldier’s rights and financial well-being were protected during a challenging time.