Lar Sevan Chouljian of Team Rock Properties in Glendale allegedly offered a family who evacuated the Eaton Fire a rental whose asking price exceeded its original price by more than 50 percent. Chouljian has denied the accusation.
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A second Los Angeles-area real estate agent has been charged with price gouging in the wake of destructive wildfires that have displaced thousands, California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office announced on Monday.
After reviewing complaints received by the California Department of Justice (DOJ), an investigation showed that a family who evacuated the Eaton Fire and inquired about renting a Glendale home were offered a rental price that exceeded the home’s original listing price by more than 50 percent, according to Monday’s press release.
It is against the law for real estate agents and landlords to raise prices by more than 10 percent while LA County is under an emergency order in response to the wildfires. The Southern California agent charged with price gouging is Lar Sevan Chouljian, who is currently licensed with Team Rock Properties, a brokerage based in Glendale, California.
“In the face of natural disaster, we should be coming together to help our neighbors, not attempting to profit off their pain,” Attorney General Bonta said in a statement. “Today’s charges are another example of DOJ’s commitment to put an end to price gouging … May this announcement serve as a stern warning to those who would seek to further victimize people who have lost everything in the face of Southern California’s wildfires: We won’t stop until the price gouging does.”
Lar Sevan Chouljian | Team Rock Properties
Chouljian did not immediately respond to Inman’s request for comment, but she told LAist in a text message that “there was absolutely no price gouging involved, and in fact, the property closed under the 10 percent limit.”
Members of the public who believe they have been victims of price gouging can report it to local authorities, by filing a report at oag.ca.gov/report or by calling the attorney general office’s hotline at (800) 952-5225.
In addition to contacting authorities, the attorney general’s office recommended that consumers include screenshots of any correspondence they had with individuals who allegedly price gouged, provide anything that shows what price was offered and by whom, take screenshots of a listing’s price history on Zillow or other portals and copy a link to the listing, and provide any available information about real estate agent or business owner identities, including their contact information, social media accounts and addresses.
On Jan. 14, Zillow published a blog post targeted toward landlords in California with details about what to know to be in compliance with the state’s anti-price gouging law. The portal also told Inman that it’s been taking down listings that violate the law.
“Due to the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area, we’re taking action to help address price gouging on rental listings in the affected areas that appear on our platform,” a Zillow spokesperson told Inman in an email.
“This includes flagging potential violations and removing listings with price increases that exceed the state of emergency threshold. If renters see a potential violation, we encourage them to report the listing to Zillow and California authorities. We believe it is essential for housing providers to follow local housing rules, including consumer protections against price gouging during and following a natural disaster, and we are providing resources to help them understand their responsibilities.”
A criminal complaint was filed in LA Superior Court on Monday against Chouljian. If criminally convicted, she could face one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $10,000. If charged civilly, she could face a penalty of up to $2,500 per violation.
Last week, Mike Kobeissi, president and broker of Kobeissi Properties, was charged by Attorney General Bonta’s office for allegedly price gouging on a rental property in La Cañada Flintridge, California. Kobeissi denied the charge and told Inman that the property in question had actually been rented out to a couple at a discount because they were wildfire evacuees.