Judge: Melissa R. Hammond, Case: 22LBUD02929, Date: 2023-03-09 Tentative Ruling

Case Number: 22LBUD02929    Hearing Date: March 9, 2023    Dept: S13

The motion for new trial is denied. None of the grounds for a new trial has been established. Here, Plaintiff, a successor landlord, needed to prove that he served a notice of new ownership on the defendant in some form, whether it be by letter or through a civil code section 1962 notice, but failed to do so. This issue was brought up by the defendant in affirmative defenses when she checked the box for landlord-tenant relationship, as well as in testimony and cross examination when she disputed having an agreement with the new landlord. Even if the defendant had not raised the issue, notifying a tenant of new ownership must be addressed in Plaintiff's case in chief in this type of case, specifically one involving past due rent to a successor landlord.