A California homeowner faced an arduous battle to remove an unwanted tenant from her $1.9 million Airbnb after the guest, identified as Frenchman Evhan Lamarck, refused to leave and allegedly damaged the property. Wendy Weissman, 60, reported that Lamarck had booked her Hermosa Beach townhouse for 48 days and stopped paying rent shortly after arriving.
California law, which grants tenants rights after 30 days of occupancy, complicated the eviction process. Weissman stated that police advised her the issue was a civil matter requiring a court resolution, a process that could take up to six months. During his stay, Lamarck allegedly chain-smoked and left the property in disarray, with cigarette butts piled high, damage to a closet, and trash strewn about.
When confronted by reporters, Lamarck reportedly defended his right to stay, stating "Yeah it's really fair" when asked if remaining without paying was reasonable. Weissman said Lamarck claimed to have lost his credit card and needed to remain until he received a new one.
Facing potential significant financial loss from unpaid rent and legal fees, Weissman attempted to publicize the situation on social media. The stalemate was broken when a neighbor reported a substantial water leak originating from the Airbnb, which constituted an emergency and allowed Weissman access to the property. Weissman reported calling the police after seeing the water damage, but they declined to intervene. She stated that Lamarck initially claimed ignorance of the flood he caused.
Following the water incident, Lamarck was observed packing belongings into a U-Haul van. Surveillance footage reportedly showed him receiving assistance from a woman who then obscured the camera. Adding to Weissman's frustration, Lamarck was allegedly allowed to leave a negative review on Airbnb that remained visible for several days.
Weissman is now warning other property owners about the risks associated with renting in California, citing local ordinances in Hermosa Beach that prohibit short-term rentals of less than 30 days. She also expressed dissatisfaction with Airbnb's response, which she described as minimal. Airbnb stated that such issues are rare and that they have removed the guest from their platform and are in contact with the host.