LUTZ, Fla. (WFLA) — Thomas Hardy and his wife Kelly Chapman received a letter Saturday dated November 19th.
It’s titled “Tenant’s 30-Day Notice to Vacate and Terminate Rental Agreement,” meaning they have to be out six days before Christmas.
“It’s a bad situation,” Hardy said. “It ruins our Christmas.”
“That’s not enough time for us to be able to find a place that we could actually afford,” Chapman said.
She explained it’s not only finding a place that will accept them but their cats too.
“Pets that help me emotionally that I’ve got to leave or give up,” Chapman said.
Hardy said it’s just not right, and they aren’t the only ones being kicked out.
“Christmas is getting ready to come up,” he explained. “It’s a couple of days before Thanksgiving and they’re kicking us, our next-door neighbor, our other two neighbors [and] the other neighbors across the way; they’re kicking them out.”
Laura Spaulding owns Boss Lady Property Management.
She said, her client bought the park two months ago and sent the following statement to 8 On Your Side:
“We are the [management] company only. Our client recently purchased this building and had not been inside the units to see their condition. Once she purchased the property we discovered a ton of deferred maintenance that was not disclosed. The owner plans on rehabbing these units and has requested for us to vacate them incrementally in order for her to do so. Our client had no idea the poor condition that these units were in so she felt it best to release the tenants in order for them to find a safe and comfortable place to live.”
Nonetheless Hardy and Chapman will have to figure out what comes next.
“I went today trying to find a couple of places, you know, that will take us and the pets and stuff and it’s not looking good,” Hardy explained.
We asked the owner of the management company if these residents could come back after the rehabilitation for these units is finished.
She said yes, but that their contractor hasn’t given them a timeframe for when the renovations will be complete.
