A judge ruled in favor of an upstate New York couple who had sued to evict their 30-year-old son from their home after his refusal to leave. Mark and Christina Rotondo were forced to make the extreme move after their son Michael declined financial help to him get settled into his own place and ignored multiple notices telling him to vacate. He did not pay rent or help out with chores around the house. His parents stopped feeding him and removed him from their family cell phone plan.
In February, Michael's parents started trying to force him out. They sent him a legal notice giving him 14 days to pack his things and find a new place to live. Two weeks later they sent him another notice, giving him an additional 30 days to vacate their home.
Five days letter they sent him another letter offering him $1,000 to help him move out, and some advice:
1) Organize the things you need for work and to manage an apartment. Note: You will need stuff at (redacted). You must arrange the date and time through your Father so he can set it up with the tenant.
2) Sell the other things you have that have any significant value, (e.g. stereo, some tools etc.). This is especially true for any weapons you may have. You need the money and will have no place for the stuff.
3) There are jobs available even for those with a poor work history like you. Get one - you have to work!
Michael did not take his parents up on their offer and demanded to be allowed to stay for at least six months, while he made arrangments to find a new home.
After sending him a few more letters, Mark and Christina took legal action to kick him out of their home. Michael, who represented himself at the hearing, asked the judge to dismiss the case arguing that he was entitled to six months notice before he could be evicted.
The judge disagreed with him and ruled in favor of his parents. He ordered eviction paperwork to be drafted but said Michael could continue to live with his parents until an official date is set.
After losing in court, Rotondo told reporters that he plans to appeal the ruling, which he called "ridiculous." He said that he hopes the judge gives him an additional 30 days to pack up his belongings and find a new place to live.
"It seems to me like I should be provided with, you know, 30 days or so, because generally you get 30 days after you're found, you know, to have to vacate the premises," he said. "So I'm expecting something like that. But realistically, if that's not the case, I don't know."