this post was submitted on 21 Jul 2026
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Anti Landlords

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The clash began after Spring refused to pay a $287 electrician's bill that his landlord forwarded him for the repair of a burnt-out socket in his unit. Shortly after, the landlord notified Spring that his rent would increase by $100 per month.

The jury awarded Spring $16,000 — an amount that Oregon law doubles to $32,000 because of the nature of the violation. On top of that, Spring's attorneys also are entitled to ask a judge to order the landlord to pay all of Spring's legal fees, an amount that currently stands at $225,000.

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[–] VitoRobles@lemmy.today 8 points 41 minutes ago

A lawyer for the landlord made clear under no uncertain terms that the Portland renter was about to make a stupid mistake — intimating in an email to Spring's attorneys that Spring "probably has a lower IQ." Lawyer John Berman also said he would cause Spring "great harm" and use Spring's words to "absolutely destroy" him on the stand.

Dude this lawyer harassed the client.

Fuck him.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 6 points 38 minutes ago

What I was saying is that anybody who would make a big deal out of a $287 bill is low IQ."

Incredibly self-aware, isn't he?

[–] Gremour@lemmy.world 15 points 3 hours ago

Read the headline like "renter beats the shit out of landlord in court" like WTF, he wasn't even arrested, not only that, but was awarded $32k.

Sorry, english is not my native language.

[–] Sharkticon@lemmy.zip 54 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

200k in legal fees? What the fuck?

[–] ChicoSuave@lemmy.world 45 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Landlord probably tried to string it along to force the tenant to settle due to costs.

[–] ZombiFrancis@sh.itjust.works 15 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

This is the default strategy that I have seen. Civil courts heavily favor flexing resources wih stall tactics.

Very rarely does it pay off for the smaller entity even if they do win, but it's always nice to see when it does.

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 0 points 1 hour ago

Nah something weird is happening. Most s**tates don't have cost/fee shifting for small claims court and the awards can't usually be higher than 5-7k even when doubled.

[–] nik282000@lemmy.ca 17 points 5 hours ago (7 children)

Jesus christ, I'm an electrician, that's 90 second job that takes $4 in parts. Who the fuck is charging $2.75 per second to change an outlet!

[–] Trampampoline@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Your boss.

The $80 you get for your time is your cut.

I'd unionize.

[–] arrow74@lemmy.zip 4 points 1 hour ago

Truthfully I'm surprised they even hired out an electrician for that. General handyman can replace an outlet.

As a non-proffessional I've replaced outlets in my own house. It took me 20 minutes for the first one. Now it takes about 10, but that because I triple check everything and go slow

[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

The truck roll is the expensive part.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 28 minutes ago

Office expenses and office staff, too. I worked for a particular industry that used software that we plugged in monthly expenses, annual, and semiannual, including payroll, and it gave us back prices for individual screws that would bug your eyes from your head to also cover a nominal profit (about 15%), and unexpected expenses like insurance rate hikes for liability insurance, workers' comp, broken equipment, etc. So that $0.30 screw suddenly became $6.

[–] Switorik@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 hours ago

A small job like that would charge a minimum of an hour, $4 for a receptacle, $30 for a gfi. We're looking at a $150 to $200 job.

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 0 points 34 minutes ago (1 children)

A local mechanic wanted $25 for an oil change, after I bought the oil and filters. I ended up taking it to the other shop and getting a fully synthetic change for $7 less than the local guy, if I had purchased conventional oil, and that's not including disposal cost.

[–] mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 2 points 25 minutes ago (1 children)

$25 seems entirely fair for that

but it also sounds like oil changes are incredibly cheap where you are. a cheap synthetic change around here is $70

[–] Maeve@kbin.earth 2 points 20 minutes ago (1 children)

It's a 10 minute job, 15 at most. If I'd had ramps and my tools that were stolen, I would have done it myself. So I paid less, got a name brand oil and filter without having to shop for it, no disposal fee, for a 20 minute drive. I also had an appointment and was in and out in about 20 minutes, including talking with the shop owner, their family, and the shop fur babies, which my own fur baby got to enjoy.

[–] mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 3 points 10 minutes ago

15 minute job, plus talking to you, doing the books, having the bay taken up, having the tools and equipment...

people deserve to be paid for their work

[–] Steve@startrek.website 11 points 3 hours ago

Drive to my house and I will pay you $4

[–] BigDiction@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago

Honestly crazy that an old blown neutral ended up a $32k+ lawsuit.

[–] the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world 50 points 6 hours ago

Hell yeah, fuck land parasites.

[–] Atropos@lemmy.world 37 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (3 children)

Totally bogus bill. Just replace the damn outlet, you dumbasses.

Also, nearly $300 to replace an outlet? I should have been an electrician.

[–] ReluctantMuskrat@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

You don't think the electrician doing the work got all that, do you? The company that signs his paycheck took the lion's share.

[–] Atropos@lemmy.world 3 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

Probably fair.

I was imagining an independent contractor type of guy, but it seems ~~walk~~ wall street owns everything now.

[–] baguettefish@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

where the street walking towards?

[–] ltxrtquq@lemmy.ml 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

You know it's a typo because there are no streets for walking in the US.

[–] Atropos@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

Haha too true.

Haha.

[–] Steve@startrek.website 10 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Thats a nominal “get out of bed” kind of quote. You dont be a tradesman and drive to someone’s house for the $25 that it actually costs to do the job.

[–] Atropos@lemmy.world 2 points 2 hours ago

Good point. I do nearly everything myself, so I don't normally consider time and transit...

But I'll continue doing things myself when it costs that much!

[–] dohpaz42@lemmy.world 13 points 5 hours ago

HVAC is where the money is. $1000+ for replacing a compressor coil.

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 16 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

Hahaha

Landlord and property managers are such idiots.

Judges don't like them, let's be clear. Judges will only side with them of they absolutely have to.

Remember, judges have family and friends themselves with these asshats too, plus judges see them in their courts all the time.

I hope on appeal they get hit even harder.

[–] arrow74@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Depends on the judges. The county I grew up in was notorious for having republican leaning judges that almost always sided with the landlords.

County made a point to make sure landlords could evict as fast as legally possible.

Knew a few people that owned some apartments. The only credit I can give them is they bought raw land and built them themselves so they didn't just buy up existing housing supply. But yeah, I've heard their stories on the court's efficiency

[–] JamesBoeing737MAX@sopuli.xyz 1 points 4 hours ago

In court... NOOOO!