“Tenant vs Landlady Goes NUCLEAR Over $2,800 Security Deposit!”

Added: 2026-05-26

[00:00:00]Blair Zjac.

[00:00:02]>> Yes.

[00:00:02]>> You were suing the defendant Patricia Anglano.

[00:00:05]>> Yes.

[00:00:06]>> For $4,940 for an unpaid security deposit and emotional damage.

[00:00:12]>> Yes. Yes, your honor.

[00:00:14]>> And you are counter suing ma'am for $5,000?

[00:00:17]>> Yes.

[00:00:17]>> For loss of rent, apartment cleaning fees, and emotional damage.

[00:00:22]>> So I assume the two of you were living together at some point as roommates.

[00:00:26]>> Yes.

[00:00:27]>> Okay. And when was that, sir?

[00:00:29]>> August. the month of August.

[00:00:30]>> And what kind of home do you live in?

[00:00:32]>> I um rent a townhouse in Santa Monica.

[00:00:35]It's a four-bedroom townhouse. I'm sleasing two bedrooms and he sleased one of them.

[00:00:40]>> How did you hear about the bedroom that she had up for?

[00:00:42]>> I found the listing on Craigslist, your honor.

[00:00:45]>> Okay. Did the two of you sign a written agreement?

[00:00:48]>> Yes, we did.

[00:00:48]>> May I see that, please?

[00:00:49]>> Yes, your honor.

[00:00:56]So, you were renting one room in this house for how much?

[00:01:00]>> $1,400 a month, the owner.

[00:01:02]>> Okay, that seems to be a lot for one room. Is this a particular high rent area?

[00:01:06]>> It's a nice area.

[00:01:07]>> It is a very nice area and actually it's a very reasonable um rent in my opinion um >> for that for this area.

[00:01:14]>> Yes. Because you know I he had access to certain parts of the home fully furnished, you know. So, we're not talking about just renting a room, right? We're talking about, you know, having access to someone else's furniture in in part of the house, >> which I did not, your honor, get actually access to all the time.

[00:01:28]>> Well, hold on a second. And then you paid a $2,800 security deposit to move in. Okay.

[00:01:33]>> So, you move in and what's the agreement? You have a room, but you also have access to a bathroom, a kitchen, a living room.

[00:01:40]>> Yes. TV supposedly.

[00:01:42]>> Okay.

[00:01:42]>> That is not true. I said it's a common living space. the gentleman obviously, you know, can have access to certain, you know, common living areas like the kitchen, like the dining room, um, and the living room. And then I said, of course, you know, when I'm home, I'm the I'm the landlord. You know, I mean, I'm watching TV, my boyfriend's over. Common sense, you know, obviously I'm using my space. I didn't say that, you know, he could go and sit next to me, which is exactly what happened. He was sitting in my living room and his wife passed away.

[00:02:09]And when I said to him, "You're sitting awfully close." Meaning like I was sitting on my sofa. My little dog was sitting next to me. And he was sitting literally right next to me. I said, "If you sit in my living room with me, I don't have a problem with it as long as you give me some space and some privacy." You know what he said to me?

[00:02:24]He said to me, "You know what? That's okay. I'm used to it. I used to do that with my wife all the time onto me." And that is so inappropriate.

[00:02:32]>> That's not true at all.

[00:02:33]>> It's so inappropriate. I mean, that's that's You're making a leak, man. All he said was he said I hope he was comfortable sitting in the living room with you and you're thinking the man is coming on to you. I'm just saying that seems like a a leap to me.

[00:02:46]>> That's really a leap. But you know how this guy is honor I would never hit on >> Hold on a second. Hold on a second.

[00:02:54]>> You're not that hot.

[00:02:57]>> Well, you know what? He's not cute. I actually didn't want to stop talking. Do you have this spelled out in the lease that people cannot use the living room area when you and your boyfriend are in the living room?

[00:03:10]>> I told him that when I'm not home and I interviewed him, I said when I'm not home, you're welcome to use the living room space, but I >> But that's not in the lease.

[00:03:16]>> It is not in the lease, but I made it very clear when I interviewed him and I also told him that the TV is off limits.

[00:03:22]>> Okay. So, you don't put that in the lease, but you're telling me that when someone moves in, >> this is not Okay, this is very simple.

[00:03:27]It is not a common like meaning like a roommate equal roommate situation. I made it very clear. It's a subleas agreement. You're subleasing a room.

[00:03:34]When you're eating, you can use the dining room. When you're going and having to use the kitchen, you can use the kitchen. When I'm not home, you can go and sit in the living room. And in fact, I actually even wrote him an email saying that of course.

[00:03:44]>> Well, is he allowed to use the bathroom or do you have time restrictions on that as well?

[00:03:48]>> Actually, you know what?

[00:03:50]>> He is using a bathroom, but it's his bathroom he shared with the other guy.

[00:03:55]>> Mr. Zjac.

[00:03:56]>> Yes. Tell me what happened after you moved. I mean, I have a idea of what happened after you moved in, but tell me how long did you live there?

[00:04:06]>> I lived there maybe for a total of three and a half almost four weeks.

[00:04:09]>> So, tell me what happened during that three and a half four week period.

[00:04:13]>> Well, there was a lot of little rules. I only found out about the TV later. She actually offered when I moved in to put a cable in my room. And so, I thought, why do I need that? Because you have a nice TV. I didn't say this, you know, but it was like obviously. See, you didn't say it. Don't interrupt again.

[00:04:27]>> You didn't say anything.

[00:04:28]>> Don't interrupt again.

[00:04:29]>> So, and then uh we got into little arguments about stupid little stuff like >> Okay. So, she told you about the TV and she didn't want you watching the TV when she was home in the living room area.

[00:04:40]Okay. What's next?

[00:04:41]>> Two weeks later, she finally gave me access to the TV and actually I was trying to make the relationship work.

[00:04:47]So, I >> relationship.

[00:04:48]>> Well, not the relationship.

[00:04:50]>> The landlord roommate relationship.

[00:04:51]Would you stop?

[00:04:52]>> Okay. It's not a roommate.

[00:04:56]I MEAN, >> he's confusing roommate and relationship.

[00:05:01]>> So, she was the defendant was out of work. I actually gave her resume to my employer to get a job. And then I realized like three weeks around the 21st that this is just not working. So, I gave 5 weeks notice.

[00:05:14]>> Coming up on Judge Faith, a cleaning calamity. One of the reasons why the cleaning lady got freaked out is because she showed me one of the boxes and there were ashes coming outside the boxes and there was an earth in there and I'm like freaking out like whose ashes are these?

[00:05:28]I knew he has a late wife. I was freaked out.

[00:05:32]>> Plaintiff Blair Zjack Jr. says his former landlady was a nightmare and is suing for his security deposit.

[00:05:39]Defendant Patricia Anglano says he didn't respect boundaries and was impossible to live with.

[00:05:46]>> Why is this not working? I mean, I've submitted emails. Tell me other things that happened.

[00:05:50]>> Well, she gave me access to the living room and then she finally said, you know, when my boyfriend comes over, you need to leave the living room.

[00:05:57]>> So, it wasn't like I had access to it all the time.

[00:05:59]>> Tell me about the time she sent you an email about the toilet, >> right? So, she believes that the toilet when you have the lid up will spread germs around the house. The also, she has a pet, of course, which I understand you don't want the pet drinking from the toilet. So, there's times when I would just forget to put the both toilet seats down. I was married. So you normally leave, you know, just one toilet seat down for your spouse. But >> And so >> and so she emailed you about the toilet seat.

[00:06:27]>> Yeah. She wanted both of them down.

[00:06:30]>> Okay.

[00:06:30]>> Yes.

[00:06:31]>> Both of them. You had the toilet.

[00:06:33]>> And she also wanted the room cleaned and she had her maid go in my room, which I thought was an invasion of my personal privacy.

[00:06:39]>> Did she tell you in advance that someone was coming in your room to clean up?

[00:06:44]>> No. That doesn't make any sense. He can't >> No, the lease says to keep the place clean. It didn't say there would be any place anybody else coming into the room.

[00:06:50]>> So, how did you find out that someone had been in your room?

[00:06:52]>> The defendant emailed me saying the cleaning person could not clean my room because it was too messy.

[00:06:58]>> Okay. And how did you know that his room was messy?

[00:07:00]>> Uh, my cleaning lady who has been with me for a number of years in different homes actually called me. She was screaming and she she told me what I knew to be like true once I got home.

[00:07:10]There were 25 boxes. I counted them stacked up wall to wall and then there is an air >> in his room >> in his room and let me tell you something about the condition that he told me he would move. He said he will have clothes and an air bed mattress with him. He told me he has a storage space because he gave up his home after his wife passed away. I told him well you have a storage space as long as you just bring your clothes but your honor and this is only for a few months and your air then that's fine. It's a 10 by1 11 room. When I actually go and like go into this room after my cleaning lady complained about the situation, >> I went into this room the first time.

[00:07:41]This was 22 21 or 22 days after he moved in. I was shocked. There were boxes stacked all the way to the ceiling. So, obviously, he suddenly didn't want to use the storage anymore. And on top of that, there was next to his bed, there was a tiny little area probably the size of this little area that was filled with dust and dirt. And you know what bothered me about that? And you can probably relate to it as a woman. He was there was so dirty in his room. Some of the dirt tracked into the hallway in the kitchen and I got really upset. I was like, "What's going on?" And I didn't go into his room until my cleaning lady told me on 22 days and his email and I have an email from him. Tell me about the boxes. What was the issue with the boxes?

[00:08:14]>> Well, she claimed it was a fire hazard and she just wanted the place generally clean.

[00:08:18]>> And what tell me about your room. Did you have 25 boxes?

[00:08:21]>> Your honor. I might have had 10.

[00:08:23]>> Okay. So, what what was the issue with him having boxes in his room? He's living there. He just moved in. He has some stuff in boxes. So, >> well, it's a fire hazard. But I have someone in my family who actually $1,400 for a room. Can the man not have a >> BUT IT'S NOT A IT'S NOT A STORAGE SPACE.

[00:08:38]IT IS NOT A STORAGE SPACE. HE TOLD ME HE has a storage space. I told him based on that he can go and come in with his clothes on an air bed, not with his entire storage space. And then he wrote me back saying that >> stop talking. I need you to I need you to turn it down.

[00:08:53]>> I should mention you also the story about the ashes, his wife's ashes. Let me tell you something. One of the reasons why the cleaning lady got freaked out is because and she doesn't speak English done well, but I love her and you know she was very upset and she's a very sweet person. She actually waited until I got home because she wanted to show me something really special. She showed me one of the boxes and there were ashes coming outside the boxes and there was a bird in there and I'm like freaking out like whose ashes are these? I knew he has a late wife. I was freaked out. I actually said I can't believe what's going on here. And then he in his email response said by the way my hold on a second. So he has an urn with ashes and I'm sorry you would do that. That's really creepy.

[00:09:31]>> Why is that n of your business?

[00:09:33]>> BECAUSE THE FLOOR IS YOUR BUSINESS OVER THE FLOOR.

[00:09:38]>> I DON'T CARE.

[00:09:40]HOLD ON a second. Hold on a second. I don't care if he has his wife's ashes in a vial around his neck. It's not your business. He mentioned it in the email is in his room in a box in his room.

[00:09:50]That's not your business. You guys are obviously poking or you know what?

[00:09:55]>> I wasn't poking at all. I wasn't intended to go into He I I want to tell you THAT IN HIS EMAIL REPLY, HE ACTUALLY SAID THAT NOBODY SHOULD clean his room.

[00:10:03]He can't live in a home without cleaning a room.

[00:10:05]>> Sir, um do you have anything else you want to say?

[00:10:08]>> What were the circumstances? What were the circumstances of you moving out?

[00:10:13]>> So, two I gave the five weeks notice >> that he did not.

[00:10:17]>> No, there's an email proof that I can document. Yes. You accepted the September 30th move out date.

[00:10:22]>> What was the last straw for you?

[00:10:24]>> So, two days later, she accused me of attempting to hack her computer.

[00:10:27]>> Yes.

[00:10:28]>> And then she also and then she said that she does not feel safe with me in the home.

[00:10:33]>> Tell me about that the hacking of the um computer.

[00:10:36]>> Well, I was at a play at Long Beach when I received the email from her saying somebody had tried to hack her computer and I said, "I'm sorry. Thanks for letting me know.

[00:10:49]And then the next day she sent me a longer email accusing me of being the one who had hacked her computer or attempted to hack her computer.

[00:10:57]>> And what was your response to that?

[00:10:59]>> Uh, well, it's a complete and utter lie.

[00:11:01]I'm a man of integrity. And that would be a really good way to get fired from my job. So, >> what do you do for a living?

[00:11:07]>> I'm a I'm a I work in I'm a software engineer at a high-tech company.

[00:11:10]>> Okay. Why do you think he tried to hack your computer?

[00:11:13]>> Actually, I can tell you exactly what happened. I have a Wi-Fi network at home that I share with my two subleases, right? So, this really nice guy who is still renting there as a neurosurgery doctor and he had the same experience that I had. So, we're sharing the same experience. He also felt like his space was violated. He and I came home one evening, not just my computer, his computer too. We both got the same message on our respective screens. Now, these are two different people on two different laptops getting the same message. And then I also work in high-tech. I'm a producer. I I went the next day. I went the next day to my work, talked to my IT department, showed them a picture of the message and I said, "What exactly is going on here?"

[00:11:53]And you know what? I was told, "Call your cable company right away. There is somebody who got into your Wi-Fi network and there is nobody else." I knew there was nobody else who had the password to that Wi-Fi network other than him and my other subleas. My other subly I >> What was the message? What was the message? The message was saying that somebody um was trying um the attempt was made by another device to to access my network.

[00:12:16]>> Next on Judge Faith, there's more fuel to this fire.

[00:12:20]>> He actually said that that was the reason that why MY WIFE DIED FROM >> I WOULD NEVER SAY his ex-girlfriend said that to him.

[00:12:28]>> What might why would she be his name?

[00:12:32]>> Plaintiff Blair Zjack Jr. is suing his former landlady for his security deposit and emotional damage. Defendant Patricia Glano says she didn't feel safe because her tenant tried to hack into her computer.

[00:12:46]>> What proof do you have that it was Mr. Zjac that tried to hack into your computer if that even happened?

[00:12:52]>> I have another proof and I tell you exactly what happened. I came home even before I looked at my computer screen and I overheard him having a conversation in his room and he had a conversation about an IP address and my cable company. Now he does not have he has no interest in getting cable for himself and why is he you know what an IP address? An IP address is a network and I actually confronted him about that said not only hold on a second. She said she overheard you having a conversation about an IP address and a cable network.

[00:13:21]What was going on? Okay. So, I was not I didn't mention I I was having a conversation with my friend who does my taxes for the 2013 and I owned a home in in Hemet and I was looking at using the Verizon files as a tax write off.

[00:13:34]>> What a strange coincidence.

[00:13:35]>> And so, um >> so to answer so after that I was like I'm out of here, you know, I don't know what else >> I don't know I don't know what else she could accuse me of. Um, and then the defendant got really when I would come home, she got in my face and would follow me to the bathroom and curse me out. And then that >> is completely wrong. And then she stop and then she get this is why the emotional damages. She actually said that that was the reason that why MY WIFE DIED FROM >> I WOULD NEVER SAY his ex-girlfriend said that to him. She was right there. Did you say this is a private conversation with me? No, I'm just saying I know him well enough. I don't care to be honest.

[00:14:15]He's lying about that. He lied about that. You said I'm narcissistic. It is if you look at my emails.

[00:14:20]>> No, I just ask you a question. If you say it, you say you say it. His ex-girlfriend said that clearly.

[00:14:24]>> What? My >> Why would she be?

[00:14:26]>> All right. Anyway, you said >> So, you moved out. Yes. You paid a $2,800 security notice at that point >> at that point, but you already notice.

[00:14:35]>> I have an email showing the reasons why I moved out because of the breach of contract with the common area and you removing the Wi-Fi access, which is stated as something you should grant in the contract. So, he gave you notice at the end of August that he wanted to move out by September 30th.

[00:14:50]>> Exactly.

[00:14:50]>> Do you remember receiving that email?

[00:14:52]Okay, >> I do have that email.

[00:14:53]>> I also went through a few other emails.

[00:14:55]Just a few things I I noticed. You emailed him on August 22nd. Close the toilet seat. There are a few things you need to think about and I'm starting to think you are doing this on purpose.

[00:15:05]Please cooperate. All caps. Don't do not reply or talk back.

[00:15:10]>> He He He WAS HE WAS TALKING BACK AT ME.

[00:15:13]HE WAS VERY BELLIGERENT. This is This is not the time for you to interrupt me.

[00:15:16]I'm just going through some things I've observed and analyzed from the emails.

[00:15:20]>> Another email you sent to him. Clean up and act like a grown-up.

[00:15:25]>> Leaving your room in a mess is a violation of home rules. This is August 22nd. What date did you move in?

[00:15:30]>> The 1st.

[00:15:31]>> Okay. There can be no boxes on the floor.

[00:15:36]>> This is what you're telling him about his room that he's paying $1,400 a month to rent.

[00:15:41]>> He's using it as a storage space. order.

[00:15:43]>> I need you to stop interrupting me.

[00:15:46]You're really starting to annoy me.

[00:15:51]>> He's paying $1,400 for this room to rent from you. And you write, "There can be no boxes on the floor, and what does not fit into the closet can be put on a desk or a shelf."

[00:16:06]>> And now, Judge Faith rules.

[00:16:09]I see a number of these emails just three weeks of him living in in in in in this room >> and he clearly did not.

[00:16:20]>> What I'm telling you, ma'am, is the people on Riker's Island have fewer rules to live by.

[00:16:28]>> YOU KNOW WHAT'S REALLY FUNNY ABOUT THAT?

[00:16:30]HE HAS NO HE HAS NO SENSE of privacy.

[00:16:32]YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A MAN WHO LIKE VIOLATED MY >> WHAT IS your counter claim about >> emotional damage and lost rent?

[00:16:40]>> Yes, because he did not give me 30-day notice. He did not pay for September.

[00:16:43]Clearly, he did not pay for September.

[00:16:45]So, he lied to you, honor. And then secondly, he has not given me seven days notice. He had also not proved that because he didn't he was he was a creepy man who I think has Asperger syndrome, meaning he has no sense of boundaries and no sense of like social skills. And the only reason >> So now you're a doctor producer, but now you're dying.

[00:17:04]>> Here's what I think. Here's what I think. I think you're crazy. That's what I think. I think you're crazy.

[00:17:12]>> If I was crazy, LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING. IF I IF I WAS CRAZY, how come the other person is so happy living there with me? That doesn't make any sense. And you know that and I know that.

[00:17:22]>> Your counter claim is dismissed. And I'm ordering you to return his full security deposit $2,800. In fact, I'd want you to pay me to live with you in that