SOMA landlords charged with terrorizing tenants

Stunning allegations emerge in lawsuit filed against landlords who allegedly waged a campaign of terror against tenant in order to force them to leave.   Landlords bought the building and tried to get the former tenant to leave after they succesfully fought the evictions.

When one of the tenants, Scott Morrow, successfully fought eviction, the couple allegedly told workers in September 2006 to cut the beams that supported his apartment’s floor. They also shut off Morrow’s electricity, cut his phone line and had workers saw a hole in his living room floor from below, prosecutors said. Morrow has since sued the Macys.

The couple were also charged with terrorizing two other tenants in the building who began paying the Macys reduced rent after concluding that they were being overcharged under the city’s rent control law.

Landlords, especially new speculative landlords, be aware of the potentially distrastrous Public Relations and Criminal nightware that awaits you if you do skirt the law with regard to tenant evictions.   When purchasing a new building be aware of the local lows and landlord/tenant ordinances.  Your business integrity and future in on the line.