JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-- A Florida woman is battling her landlord after she said he destroyed the home she lives in to get her to move out.
Maritza Hudson is a couple of months behind on rent after losing her job. She lives in a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house with her four children.
On Monday, Hudson said the landlord's workers showed up and removed the entire kitchen, bathroom and both the front and back doors. He also reportedly shut off the water.
"Removed all sinks; stoves; anywhere that we could place to cook; use any kind of water; shut off the water. There's no toilet; there's nothing. I'm just here in the day, and in the evening I have to stay at friends houses; random friends," Hudson said.
Hudson said her landlord is a pastor at a church that's next door to her home.
"So, why don't you move?" she was asked. Hudson said, "I don't have the money to. Like I told him: if I had the money to move, I would've paid you rent."
In a statement to NBC affiliate WTLV, Reverend Joseph James said that the floors in the kitchen and bathroom were falling apart and that he gave Hudson a 30-day notice about the repairs.
Hudson acknowledges that she owes money, but thinks that destroying her home is uncalled for. "I acknowledge that I'm behind on rent, but removing doors is drastic."
Under Florida's landlord tenant act, the home has to be habitable, and right now, it is not. Hudson's rental agreement with James was reportedly verbal meaning there's no lease. Because of that, this dispute is now heading to court.
