Shen

BACKGROUND

In June 2017, Shen signed a three-year lease for a residential property in Woodland Hills owned by Prato. Shen lived there with her minor daughter, who attended school nearby. In September 2018, Shen and her daughter returned home after a weekend away to find that a toilet line in the second floor master bathroom had burst. Shen alleged she observed substantial sewage/water damage “throughout the house” as well as mold. She deemed the house uninhabitable and moved to a hotel, where she stayed until October 22, 2018. Shen and her daughter returned to the house many days, however, to work and

Undesignated statutory references are to the Civil Code.

2 to do homework, respectively. Shen stated this was also necessary to protect her personal property. It is undisputed that Prato quite promptly sent service technicians to the house to set up fans to dry out the house. The parties agree that actual repairs were not promptly made, but disagree as to the reason. Prato claims Shen obstructed the repairs. Shen claims Prato sent repair people to the property without warning her; then, on a second occasion, Prato gave them entry without waiting for her representative to…