Judge Faith Season 1 Episode 61 Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

In the season 1 episode 61 of Judge Faith, titled "Excuses, Excuses, Excuses," two former friends, a landlord and a tenant, bring their dispute to court. The landlord claims that the tenant refused to pay rent and repeatedly made excuses for the delay, leading him to evict the tenant. The tenant, on the other hand, argues that the landlord failed to address severe maintenance issues in the property, making it uninhabitable and not worth the rent.

The case begins with the landlord detailing the history of the tenancy, claiming that the tenant was frequently late with rent payments and that he made many excuses for the delay. The landlord provides text messages and emails as evidence of these missed payments and excuses. However, the tenant counters by accusing the landlord of not fulfilling his obligations to provide a habitable dwelling as required by law. The tenant claims that there were numerous issues with the property's plumbing, ventilation, and electrical system that the landlord failed to address, despite repeated requests.

The judge carefully listens to both sides and examines the evidence provided by each. She begins by reminding both parties that the law requires landlords to maintain their rental properties in a safe and habitable condition. She then asks the landlord to explain why he didn't fix the maintenance issues. The landlord says that he was unaware of the problems and denies any negligence, arguing that they were just small issues. He claims that the tenant never reached out to him to fix any issues and only complained after the eviction.

The tenant disputes these claims, providing photos and videos of the problematic areas in the house, including water leaks, mold, and poor quality repairs. She argues that as a tenant, her responsibility is to pay rent on time, which she did, but the landlord's job was to maintain the property, which he failed to do. She claims she had no choice but to withhold rent and eventually leave due to the inhabitable conditions.

Judge Faith takes a moment to consider all the evidence before rendering her decision. She tells both parties that neglecting maintenance issues is unacceptable and that it endangers tenants' health and safety. She then rules that the tenant had the right to withhold rent due to the conditions of the house and that the landlord's failure to fix the issues constitutes a violation of the lease agreement. Therefore, the judge rules in favor of the tenant and orders the landlord to return the security deposit to the tenant.

In conclusion, Judge Faith season 1 episode 61, "Excuses, Excuses, Excuses," is an insightful and educational episode that highlights the importance of landlords fulfilling their responsibilities to maintain rental properties. It also stresses the importance of tenants knowing their rights and asserting them. This episode is a great resource for anyone involved in a landlord-tenant dispute or anybody who wants to know more about rental property maintenance and lease agreements.