ST. LOUIS – A couple alleges they were induced into moving into a St. Louis rental property that was seriously defective and later condemned.
Michele Pearson and Travis Pearson filed a complaint on Sept. 11 in the St. Louis Circuit Court against F & B Properties LLC and The Rutherford Group LLC alleging that they violated the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act and fraud.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that in 2017, they executed a one-year lease to rent defendants' Minnesota Avenue, St. Louis property. Soon after moving in, they allege they discovered numerous defects with the property and it was later condemned by the city of St. Louis. The plaintiffs and their children were forced to move out and had to leave much of their personal property, the suit states.
They allege before they moved in, the defendants told them repair work would be completed but the promised work was never performed. They also allege the property had not been inspected by the city and the defendants did not have an occupancy permit. The suit also states the plaintiffs were not refunded the $1,695 they paid to move in to the property.
The plaintiffs seek actual and punitive damages, costs and all other relief that are just and equitable. They are represented by Robert L. Swearingen of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri in St. Louis.
St. Louis Circuit Court case number 1822-CC11189