A couple says the Hollywood rental property where they live is infested with rodents that are biting their children while their landlord refuses to help.
The family said the situation has become so dangerous, that they’ve been forced to seek help from others as the situation remains unaddressed.
The landlord, however, has a different take, claiming the family are delinquent tenants who have refused to pay rent, owing him thousands of dollars.
Jessica Spratt first moved into the 1915 craftsman-style home on North Cherokee Avenue with her husband, their three young children and her mother during the pandemic.
Little did they know, they said the home was a “hell house” that contained all sorts of major issues including mice, roaches, animal excrement, mold, leaks and more. Stuck living there over the past few years, Spratt said she feels helpless at this point.
A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (KTLA) 
A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family) 
A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family) 
A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family) 
A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (Spratt Family) 
Eviction notice from landlord claiming the Spratt Family has not paid their rent. (KTLA) 
A family says their historic Hollywood crafstman-style rental home is infested with rodents and in disrepair. (KTLA)
“There have been mice climbing up my walls,” Spratt said. “There have been mice pooping in my kids’ bed. Yesterday, I found mice on my newborn baby’s changing table. They’ve been biting my children.”
When she brought up the myriad of issues, she claimed the response from her landlord was dismissive.
“He told me to just get a cat,” she recalled. “A cat for the ‘mosies.’ I guess it’s his nickname for mice.”
Spratt said her landlord eventually provided the family with temporary alternative housing while promising to fix the issues. But when the Spratts returned home, they said nothing had actually changed.
“Our whole life has been upside down, “ Spratt said. “If you go inside the house right now, everything is wrecked and ruined. [The landlord] keeps trying to use leverage and just say everything I’m doing wrong.”
Spratt said the situation became so unbearable that a client of hers graciously put the family up at a Sunset Strip hotel for a few nights. It’s a temporary reprieve as their future living situation remains uncertain.
Earlier in the day, KTLA found eviction notices from the landlord on the home’s front gate claiming the Spratts are delinquent in rent payments.
The family is seeking help from city housing and health department officials along with attorneys.
“I have given him so much money,” Spratt said. “This is disgusting.”
An attorney for the landlord claimed the Spratts were illegally renting out a back house on the property and that they were warned about hoarding conditions and clutter inside the main house. He claims the family’s accusations are a retaliatory move against those warnings.
The Spratts have denied that allegation.
