I’m being evicted because of something that is out of my control, and have asked many for help. My landlord says I’m a liar. On May 3rd, my car breaks down and it’s towed to a mechanic, A Plus Automotive. Within a few days repair shop spoke with my warranty company and they agreed on the work of replacing the transmission with a used transmission that the warranty company will send. Took almost a month and a half to fix the first time. I get vehicle back and 5 days later it breaks down again. I call the warranty company and they tell me to have a diagnostic done on it from another shop to see if the work by A Plus Automotive did was wrong or missed something. Took it to Dobbs and they came back with it being a bad transmission. I called warranty company to let them know, and they said the transmission is good and that A Plus is to be liable. I called A Plus and explained to them what Dobbs said and what warranty said. A little time goes by and A Plus decided to tow my car back to their shop.
They did a diagnostic and of course said the transmission is was bad. A dispute between warranty and repair shop took place, so I had to get a lawyer to get things going since some time had passed and I needed my vehicle. The only thing the lawyer did was write a letter of demand stating this needs to end now and fix my car because it was causing financial burdens in my life. I even had the district attorney look into it, told me to get a private lawyer.
On August 16th, I lost my career of 17 years because I had no transportation to and from work. I live 54 miles away from work and no one lives close to me to hitch a ride with. With losing my job, I have been evicted with no money to live anywhere, no money to store my belongings, so we will lose everything. I have companies calling me daily because all my bills are in default, and if or when I ever get my car back, it will be repossessed because I have not been able to make payments. Hell I haven’t even been able to get it legal yet, and that’s going to cost even more with the late fees and inspections. I have had the car for almost 9 months. 2 of the months it was in my possession. Almost 7 months A Plus Automotive has had it in their possession.
This has caused me and my family emotional stress and financial burdens beyond our control, but that was all considered a lie to my landlord. I applied for help through SAFHR and she rejected it all 3 times. She tried to say that the property owners never had a email address or computer. That was a lie. I have all the information that was received off their own website. So without my vehicle, I missed the court date and got a judgment of default. I immediately filed for a motion to set aside and explained to the judge why.
I have a new hearing in December. Since then my landlord has stoped my wife in the apartment parking lot and told her that we are bums and liars and just trying to live here for free. I don’t know if I should even bring it up in court because my only proof is my wife. I will be appearing in court with no lawyer and my only defense is that she turned down the payments. I do have an email from SAFHR stating that she has 1 week to accept or reject, and if nothing is done, the money will come directly to me. Only problem is that won’t happen to later after the court date.
Renters need a law that protects us from things that happen beyond our control. It happens and no one cares that we are forced to be put on the street and lose everything we own. Sorry but a few months rent behind does not make it right to make a person face poverty and have to start all over again with nothing. Banks allow home owners time before foreclosure. I don’t know how much time but it’s more than renters get. I just want to say keep your head up if you’re facing what I’m facing. Some day someone will stand up for us and end putting people on the street.