Divorced landlord lives in van in front of his rental property, makes inappropriate comments and goes through tenants mail: ‘We are paying good money to someone camping outside’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Mar 24, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

Remember those TV tropes about divorced dads hitting rock bottom? The ones with unshaven guys eating cereal for dinner in a studio apartment that screams midlife crisis?

You know, those sitcom episodes where the recently divorced guy is living on his buddy's couch, eating microwave burritos off paper plates, and trying to date while wearing mismatched socks? I always thought that was just lazy TV writing—but apparently, art imitates bad life choices imitates art, or however the saying goes.

Turns out, some divorced men don't just lose half their stuff—they lose their entire concept of acceptable behavior. While TV shows us the sad-sack dad in a scruffy one-bedroom with pizza boxes piled high, this landlord has innovated. Why pay for housing when you can live in a van outside the house you're collecting rent on? Why be the beat-up divorcee in a scripted TV show when you imagine you're your own reality TV show? The stat in "Divorced Dads Gone Wild: The LA Edition."

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  • Who needs a sad bachelor pad when you can park your emotional baggage in a van outside the house you used to own? Instead of drowning his sorrows in cheap drinks and frozen pizzas, he’s opted for the more creative approach of marinating in bitterness while monitoring his former property 24/7.

    The writers of these shows would never wraith a character like this landlord because that crosses the line from lovable mess to restraining order waiting to happen. But hey, at least our landlord is breaking new ground in the divorced guy stereotype department!

  • "My landlord is living in a van outside the house I rent. He refuses to leave and has been scaring my wife and her friends."

    "He refuses to leave"
    via Galina Zhigalova
  • I've lived here (Location: Los Angeles, CA) for about a month and love the house. I am renting from a divorced couple and the ex wife is very nice. The ex
    via dethinpinkbed
  • husband is not. He left the country for a month and left his Ivan and car in front of house.
    via dethinpinkbed
  • They were towed after 72 hours which is the law here. He came back and quickly moved them back and has mader de comments to my wife and her friends.
    via dethinpinkbed
  • Cheezburger Image 10484560640
    via Deyan Gregoriev
  • He also still uses the mail address so I assume (no video yet) that he is going thru our mail.
    via dethinpinkbed
  • I've ordered a ring camera and also Spoken to the ex wife - telling her I know it's not your issue but we will try to solve this
    via dethinpinkbed
  • - issue but feel strange because we are paying good money to someone camping outside.
    via dethinpinkbed
  • Cheezburger Image 10484561408
    via welcomia
  • Edit- they are co-listed as owners on the lease. It's paid into a divorce lawyers trust - I reached out to this lawyer. I also see he is
    via dethinpinkbed
  • getting VA benefits mailed to this address which makes me think | can report him for fraud on his residence on file for VA benefits.
    via dethinpinkbed
  • rons27 Buy a locking mail box.
    via rons27
  • cityshepherd I'd recommend continuing to report the van every 72 hours if he's not moving it at the very least, although I'd be concerned about him retaliating in some way. Ugh.
    via cityshepherd
  • No-Penalty 1722 In terms of the van, there's nothing much you can do besides calling up every 72 hours. We both know LA police are not gonna care unless he's actively causing a scene.
    via No-Penalty1722
  • As for the mailbox, landlords are allowed to use their rental properties as their mailing addresses in CA however, the landlord has to provide you with their
    via No-Penalty1722
  • full name, phone number, and address in the lease or upon tenant request. So go ahead and ask them for that.
    via No-Penalty1722
  • As for "going through" your mail? As long as they aren't opening or tampering with your mail, they have every
    via No-Penalty1722
  • right to look for their own mail in the pile of mail that's addressed to their property. I would suggest using a PO box.
    via No-Penalty1722
  • TheChefs Revenge You're not gonna get anywhere with law enforcement. I would document your text messages, etc, and prepare a restraining order against this person. Start running a video camera 24/7 with audio.
    via TheChefsRevenge
  • Document a clear picture that this person is violating your privacy as a tenant. LA county doesn't give a f that someone is camping on the street. However they will
    via TheChefsRevenge
  • be swift to act against a bad-actor landlord. You may be able to get a restraining order against this person and he'll end up having to
    via TheChefsRevenge
  • move at least 500 feet away and hiring a management company to mediate the relationship.
    via TheChefsRevenge
  • Frame this as a tenant issue - if this person is accessing the property without permission and you have it
    via TheChefsRevenge
  • on video, you'll get farther and faster going after your landlord than you will going after a homeless person.
    via TheChefsRevenge
  • Dragonkitelooper Security cameras and po box is in your future
    via Dragonkitelooper
  • Ok_Cup_9612 Where's he going to the bathroom?
    via Ok_Cup_9612

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landlord hoa neighbors neighborhood homeowner landlords neighborhood-drama bad neighbors noise camping noisy loud parking entitled people apartment
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