In a striking legal move, a group of tenants has filed a lawsuit against their former landlord for allegedly violating several consumer protection laws. The complaint was lodged by Christopher Sanders, Roberta Sanders, Eric Spencer, and Elise Ochs on March 24, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of Ventura. The defendants named in the case are Ventura Investment Co. and ten unidentified parties.
The plaintiffs accuse Ventura Investment Co., a property management company operating various apartment complexes across California, of multiple violations under the Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act (ICRAA) and the Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA). According to the lawsuit, Ventura Investment Co. failed to comply with statutory requirements when obtaining investigative consumer reports on prospective tenants. These reports contain sensitive information about individuals' character and personal characteristics. The plaintiffs argue that the company did not provide necessary disclosures or obtain proper consent from tenants before procuring these reports.
Christopher Sanders and Roberta Sanders applied for residency at Lumina Apartments in Simi Valley, while Eric Spencer sought accommodation at Ivy at Pickwick Park Apartments in Camarillo. Elise Ochs was interested in Village Lofts Apartments in Los Angeles. All four plaintiffs claim they were subjected to unlawful background checks without receiving any notification or copies of the reports as mandated by law.
The lawsuit further alleges that Ventura Investment Co.'s actions amounted to false advertising and invasion of privacy. The plaintiffs assert that they paid application fees purportedly for background checks that were either never conducted or improperly handled. "Defendants solicited payment for background checks relating to application processing services with the intended and/or actual result or did result of pocketing the money without ever performing the background check," states one part of the complaint.
Seeking justice not only for themselves but also for other affected tenants, the plaintiffs demand various forms of relief from the court. They request compensatory damages, statutory damages amounting to $10,000 per investigative report obtained unlawfully, punitive damages, attorney fees, and an injunction preventing future violations by Ventura Investment Co. Additionally, they seek declaratory relief affirming that certain practices employed by the defendant violate California's consumer protection statutes.
Represented by Glenn A. Murphy from Litigation Advocacy Group, the plaintiffs are determined to hold Ventura Investment Co. accountable for its alleged misconduct. The case is being heard under Case No. ag25CLIBT041059 in front of judges at Ventura Superior Court.