Da’Vine Joy Randolph is taking the company behind a $17,000-a-month Los Angeles rental to court, alleging that the luxury home came with problems ranging from pests and plumbing trouble to defective locks and inconsistent water pressure.
The actress leased the five-bedroom, six-bathroom property in September 2024, according to court documents detailed by TMZ. The 4,452-square-foot home was presented as being in good condition, Randolph alleges, but she says numerous problems emerged after she moved in.
Randolph also alleges that attempts to address those problems were insufficient.
Randolph, who won the 2024 Oscar for supporting actress for The Holdovers, is seeking unspecified damages in the rental dispute. She also wants reimbursement for expenses she says she incurred because of repairs and pest-control work at the property.
She Says Repair Attempts Did Not Resolve the Problems
View this post on Instagram
The lawsuit describes several categories of alleged problems. According to TMZ, Randolph says the property had water issues, plumbing conditions and inconsistent water pressure. She also alleges there were pest conditions requiring attention.
Other complaints involve the home’s doors and windows, which she says failed to function properly, as well as defective locks and broader safety concerns. Randolph alleges that 421 NRD LLC had represented the home as being in good condition before she entered the lease.
Randolph says she notified the company about the conditions but that the repairs and other measures taken in response did not adequately resolve them. According to her lawsuit, the landlord eventually told her that she could move out if she was unhappy with the property.
California’s Department of Real Estate explains in its rental housing guidance that landlords have responsibilities involving serious defects that affect a residential property’s habitability. Whether the conditions alleged by Randolph amounted to a breach of California’s implied warranty of habitability, a violation of the lease or another legal wrong is something the litigation would have to establish.
Randolph Says She Had to Pay for Hotels During Repairs
Randolph is also seeking compensation for expenses she says resulted directly from the problems at the house. TMZ reports that those out-of-pocket costs included hotel stays during periods when repairs and pest-control work were being carried out.
Her complaint includes a breach-of-lease claim along with other causes of action, although TMZ’s report does not identify every claim in the lawsuit. Randolph is asking for reimbursement of those expenses and unspecified damages.
The dispute centers on a high-end Los Angeles property that TMZ describes as being worth more than $5 million. Randolph says she began leasing the 4,452-square-foot home in September 2024 for $17,000 per month. The residence has five bedrooms and six bathrooms.