In Wyandotte County, tenants are supposed to be protected from unsafe and unlicensed rentals. But my experience reveals a disturbing loophole: even when landlords blatantly operate without a rental license, misrepresent properties as compliant, and fail to maintain habitable conditions, courts can still force tenants to pay rent on illegal rentals.
Evernest Property Management and Illegal Rentals
The property I rented was never legally licensed as a rental. The landlord and Evernest Property Management knew this and yet signed leases with multiple renters, misleading tenants into believing the property was compliant. After months of dangerous living conditions—ceiling leaks, mold growth, and ignored emergency maintenance requests—the City of Wyandotte’s Rental License Department ordered the property to be vacated.
Why? Because the landlord and property management company never obtained a rental license or zoning approval.
Despite the city’s order to vacate, the court ruled in favor of the landlord and allowed him to collect rent for an unlicensed property. Even more shocking, the judge ordered the landlord to reimburse me for repairs I personally paid for—but applied waived rent against those reimbursements, effectively reducing his penalty.
Legal Loopholes That Protect Landlords
The landlord’s fraudulent actions went unpunished:
- No rental license and no attempt to comply with city zoning regulations.
- Habitability violations, including mold, water leaks, and structural damage, that forced the city to order an immediate tenant evacuation.
- Court protection that ensured the landlord profited from his illegal actions.
Even after the city declared the property unfit for habitation, the courts helped this landlord collect rent on an illegal rental.
Mail Fraud and Tenant Exploitation
The landlord and Evernest Property Management also used the U.S. Postal Service to demand rent on an unlicensed property—which could qualify as mail fraud.
This loophole leaves tenants vulnerable, allowing unscrupulous landlords to profit from illegal rentals with no consequences.
What Needs to Change
Wyandotte County must address this loophole immediately. Landlords and property management companies like Evernest should face strict penalties, reimbursement of all rent collected from unlicensed properties, and mandatory coverage of tenant relocation costs.
Without stronger enforcement and punitive measures for illegal rental practices, landlords will continue to exploit tenants and evade accountability.