A woman from the US accused of living in a Los Angeles guest house she booked on Airbnb without paying rent for over a year has finally left.
The 55-year-old Elizabeth Hirschhorn departed the property with police assistance after 575 days of free living in the $3.5 million house. She had moved in back in September 2021 after booking a six-month stay through Airbnb but refused to leave when the term ended.
Hirschhorn had initially rented the guest house from landlord Sascha Jovanovic through Airbnb for a six-month period at $105 per night.
She later refused to leave and asked for $100,000 for relocation expenses.
Jovanovic also claimed she prevented him from making necessary code updates in the unit.
The guest house was never officially licensed for Airbnb rentals, and due to Hirschhorn's stay lasting over six months, Jovanovic couldn't evict her under Los Angeles' "Just Cause" ordinance which protects tenants from eviction without a valid reason.
Both parties had filed lawsuits against each other.
The landlord's lawyer decided to dismiss the eviction case voluntarily. However, the lawsuit seeking damages from Hirschhorn is still ongoing.
Jovanovic expressed relief and said, "I'm very relieved and a bit overwhelmed. It took a long time, but she's finally out. This weekend will be much better."
It's uncertain whether Hirschhorn has left for good or plans to return, but the landlord has changed the locks on the property.
