So due to some personal reasons I had to use a fake name to rent a nice house in California. I’m a single father with a difficult past.
The landlord was kind of easy going and didn’t care, just wanted my money and admitted to being new to renting a house out (which is beautiful btw and my little daughter loves it) — I found it on Facebook marketplace and signed the lease under a false name. At the last minute, landlord asks to do a background check which stalled for months and I claimed that it was because of identity theft issues. He never brought it up again and I always paid rent on time from October up until April, when I had some money problems. Thankfully I was protected by the moratorium so he couldn’t evict me for non-payment, so I was able to live rent free and didn’t have to pay utilities.
I’m a struggling single father trying to provide the best for my 6 year old daughter. Her mother is an addict and due to our differences we have gotten into several physical altercations which have landed us both in prison a few times, so I would like to not disclose that. I’ve been struggling to find work due to my past and have resorted to odd jobs and trying to make ends meet. The house was the highlight of mine and my daughter’s lives - it’s beautiful and in a safe and quiet neighborhood.
I had to leave for a month to settle some personal matters with my family out of state. The moratorium ended, and now my landlord is asking me to vacate the house. I haven’t paid rent since April, and since I have been using a false identity I cannot apply for COVID Relief. The landlord is threatening to evict me for non-payment, but I haven’t been in the house in over a month. Apparently there was a notice posted on my door by a lawyer and I have to pay back all the rent.
All my personal belongings are still at the house but my friend went by and said they were all on the curb. I went back tonight and the locks were changed.
What are my options? Can I sue? Legally he can’t evict me because there was only a 30 day notice (which started and ended while I was out of state), and the formal eviction notice hasn’t been posted or mentioned. What are my rights? I want to fight for this and have a place to live - technically in California I would qualify for squatting rights, right? Can I still live and keep my belongings on the property?
When I showed up on the property the landlord’s daughter cussed me out and told me to leave or she’ll call the cops for trespassing. Somehow she found out my real name and my criminal record. I couldn’t deal with it while my daughter is in the car hearing her use foul language so I left. We are sleeping in the parking lot now.
