Renters uncover sneaky scheme by landlord leading to $34,000 in compensation

EAGLE-EYED tenants have caught out a sneaky landlord for overcharging them – and now they’re receiving a whopping $34,000 payout.

Renters in Portland are celebrating after their landlords were found to be in violation of the city’s rent control rules.

The shifty landlords were charging unaware tenants hundreds of dollars for using different areas of their apartments.

They were hiking up the price after tenants used areas such as the driveway and the balcony – demanding far more than rent control allows.

The Portland Tenants Union noticed they were being unfairly charged and kickstarted a city investigation.

“We’re tired of seeing people getting displaced from their communities for the sake of landlords trying to recoup their investment costs and squeeze as much out as possible from the buildings,” Portland Tenants Union organizer Bradley Davis said.

Bradley set up the union after he won a $16,000 settlement with his own landlord.

He added: “I don’t think these landlords need that $34,000 to be living their lives.”

When the Portland tenants initially filed a complaint, the city issued a notice of violation to the landlords.

The owners of 28 St. George Street were increasing rent far beyond the allowed amount.

Rent control permits an increase of 2 per cent in 2024, but one unit’s rent more than doubled – jumping from $1,100 a month to a whopping $2,650.

Now that the unscrupulous landlords have been spotted, they have until April 17 to cough up the cash.

Landlords previously argued that the rent increases permitted by rent control don’t keep up with rising costs for building maintenance.

Portland landlord Andrew Doukas argued: “Everything I take in on rent I spend on the building.

“I’m not making any money off of that building. I’m thinking that my benefit will come when I sell it.”

Now that the news has got out that sneaky landlords are finding ways to bypass rent control, city councilors have launched further investigations.

Some 18 per cent of the city’s apartments have been tested for rent compliance.

However, one furious councilor claims this still isn’t enough and slams that it shouldn’t be up to renters to figure out if they’re paying too much money.

He explained that we shouldn’t be relying on unions to “claw that money back.”

Portland City Councilor Wes Pelletier said: “The Housing Safety Office’s leadership is not checking registrations, and it really is taking the effort of a bunch of taxpayers, which are tenant unions organizing, to actually claw that money back, which was illegally taken from them.”