Landlord wants gay tenants out of her house

Six gay men who occupy a house in the Mona Road area of St Andrew are refusing to pay their rent, arguing that their landlady has been hostile to them and is refusing to fix up the property.

But the landlady wants them out as she says the men are using the place as a haven for criminal activities and to promote their lifestyle.

Scared of the men, the landlady is letting her man do the talking.

"She rented it to some young gentleman and she realised they are gay. And they are carrying other people who are gay in the community," he said.

The men moved into the three-bedroom apartment in October 2018 under a lease agreement, which would see them pay $30,000 monthly for the use of the property.

"They haven't paid any rent for about several months now. And they're still using the home as a hideaway for criminal activities. So they go out and steal and use the home as a hideout. They are using the house as a shield or cover-up to do criminal things in the community," the landlady's husband told THE WEEKEND STAR.

"A few nights ago, she found a gunshot in the home on the ground. She called the police. By the time she go out and call the police and come back, the gunshot missing. So when the police came there and she explaining that she saw the gunshot there, they didn't search the house, they didn't do anything. They just tell her when she find it, she must call them back. Now, what kinda reluctance is that with the police? That is why I believe they are working together. That is my opinion. We need help. We need the commissioner of police. We need people to be involved in it because we don't want them to take away our home."

The Rent Assessment Board is now involved in the matter.

"We're going through the rent board, and the rent board give us the time by this month end before summons is served on them. It is frustrating because it seems like we don't have anywhere to turn."

However, Michael, 21, one of the tenants, says they are being dealt with harshly because of their sexuality.

"Nothing nuh go suh...a bare lies. Me nah buss gun. none a we nuh buss gun, so dem a do it fi get rid a we," he said about the allegations about them being involved in criminality.

"We give har di rent money, and she said she did a guh fix up the place, starting from the roof top. It is leaking! Rat, cat, dog, everything inna the roof top a drop dung pon people when dem a sleep inna dem bed," he said.

Michael said that he and other tenants were constantly being disturbed and harrased because they occupied the space.

"Him wife now, she annoying. Yuh caah have tenants inna the place and every 4'o clock inna the morning yuh a create excitement and a wake up the tenant dem. Dat no right! ... Me live inna a yard weh look like a forest. Me hardly can walk pon concrete. Dem don't tell unu why di police dem come several time? Because of the nastiness. Puss all a serve demself. She have a fridge inna di living room and a bare magage and fly. Dat nuh healthy and yuh wah rent?"

The property owners, however, are not minded to fix anything. They want the tenants out, like, from yesterday.