Elizabeth Hirschhorn leaves Los Angeles home after refusing to pay rent for 575 days and upcoming eviction hearing as serial squatter takes on new residence as questions remain as to whether landlord Sascha Jovanovic has re-won possession of Brentwood guest-house attached to his California property.
A ‘tenant from hell’ staying at a Brentwood, Los Angeles mansion who has refused to pay rent for 575 days was over the weekend escorted from the property by cops as the woman now vows to return to the residence.
Elizabeth Hirschhorn, 55, booked a six-month stay in a luxury guesthouse attached to the $3.5million home in September 2021 only for the Harvard graduate to refuse to move after the period expired – citing Covid-19 along with allegations that the dwelling had an illegally built shower and that as a consequence she should’ve never have had to pay any rent for the ‘illegal’ rental unit.
When landlord Sascha Jovanovic, 61, attempted to evict her, Hirschhorn countersued and demanded $100,000 in ‘relocation costs’ to move.
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Tenant from hell’ Elizabeth Hirschhorn warns landlord she will fight to return afte… https://t.co/jCRFcyzrAC @MailOnline
— Jörg (@jm3107) November 6, 2023
But is she gone for good?
In latest developments, Hirschhorn was escorted out of Jovanovic’s mansion on Friday by police and lugged several boxes out to a waiting white van with the help of three male friends.
The serial squatter‘s exit was overseen by the LAPD who arrived at the property after being called by Jovanovic who had spotted the men – none of whom he recognized – walking about in his yard according to the dailymail.
Told Jovanovic via the dailymail: ‘I’m very relieved and also a bit overwhelmed.
‘It was a long time coming but now she is finally out! This weekend is going to be very positive.’
It remained unclear how exactly Hirschhorn came to leave the property and whether she had done so on her free will pending further developments in a slated eviction hearing in the future.
Jovanovic has already taken steps to ensure Hirschhorn can’t come back – but his lawyer Sebastian Rucci told the dailymail that the long drawn out saga may not necessarily be over.
Jumping the gun?
He said he contacted Hirschhorn’s attorney over the weekend to suggest canceling an eviction hearing in Santa Monica Monday after the 55-year-old’s exit – only to be told that she considers her move to be ‘temporary’.
In the email exchange, seen by the dailymail, Rucci explains that his client has changed the locks, only for Hirschhorn’s lawyer Amanda Seward to tell him that they may have ‘jumped the gun’ and to accuse Jovanovic of harassment.
Seward added: ‘Ms Hirschhorn had discussed with me concern over the constant harassment and surveillance, and also the desire to get the things repaired that needed to be repaired.
‘Subject to my discussions with Ms Hirschhorn, please be advised you have no authority to change the locks or to assume abandonment of the property.’
Offered Rucci: ‘We changed the locks when Hirschhorn left. Her lawyer responded that we jumped the gun as she intended to return after leaving.
‘I responded that she was not allowed back, and the burden is now on her to go to court to regain possession.’ He added: ‘This lady has no shame. Her harassment continues even from the grave, as they say.’
Gaming the system
Jovanovic said he called the cops because he wanted to find out who the men were and why they were on my property and in my guesthouse
‘She did not answer my calls. She has a lot of work ahead of her. And she still has a big lawsuit on her hands.’
In the interim, Hirschhorn has managed to find herself a new apartment – despite her prior history of getting out of paying rent and suing her landlords – and is now living in downtown LA.
It is unclear how Hirschhorn, whose lengthy history of legal battles includes an 18-month fight with AMEX over an unpaid $19,000 bill, passed the credit check.
Jovanovic said: ‘I can’t believe she was able to rent in LA after being exposed as a serial rent scammer. The real problem in US society is that you can commit wrongdoing but if you don’t go to jail, you can just move on to the next one.’
Despite the uncertainty over whether Hirschhorn will regain possession of the guesthouse, her other legal battle with Jovanovic over $60,000 in unpaid rent will continue.
Jovanovic is demanding that Hirschhorn be forced to pay all the back rent but she says she does not have to pay and should be refunded her initial $19,000 payment for the first six months because the residence is an ‘illegal unit’.
It remained unclear when the eviction hearing was scheduled (and whether it would actually take place or if Hirschhorn seriously believes she has any recourse) and whether the woman’s exit from the dwelling may favor the landlord’s case amid his ongoing demands to take re-possession of the guest house.
