Brookline Landlord Accused Of Violating Rights Of Military Man

BROOKLINE, MA – A Brookline landlord agreed to settle with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to resolve allegations that she refused to fully refund a service member who had to terminate his lease because he was relocated by the U.S. Army, the U.S. Attorney's office announced Wednesday.

"Men and women in uniform risk their lives for our country, and Congress enacted the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to protect their rights when they are called away to serve our nation," said United States Attorney Andrew Lelling in a statement. "We will aggressively enforce the SCRA. Our military members deserve no less."

Lelling's office said the landlord, Deborah Levenson, resolved allegations that she violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act by refusing to refund overpaid rent and delaying returning the security deposit to a service member who received orders from the U.S. Army to relocate to another state.

Under the terms of the settlement, which has to be approved by the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts, Levenson must pay her former tenant $3,000 in damages, pay a civil penalty of $500 to the United States, and is prohibited from violating the act in the future.

The purpose of the act is to provide service members with protections against certain civil proceedings that could adversely affect their legal rights while they are in military service.

When service members receive military orders requiring them to relocate, including orders to deploy overseas, the act allows them to break their residential lease agreements and requires their landlords to return over payments in rent and security deposits.