EVICTION ERROR: DeKalb woman says she’s living out of boxes after false eviction put on her record

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Alexis Mennefield says for months she’s been living out of boxes and in limbo of being forced out of her DeKalb County rental home.

“It’s really frustrating to deal with this situation,” Mennefield said.

She told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln she discovered her property management company, Main Street Renewal placed a false eviction dating back to 2017 on her rental consumer report.

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She discovered the error this year after being denied when applying for a new rental.

“It’s been affecting me being able to move,” she told Lincoln.

Mennefield says the contradiction is, she’s been living in this rental for the last seven years. She showed Lincoln her ledger of consistent rent payments, year to date.

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“The court order states that for nonpayment for October, November, and December, of 2017, there’s a payment here, a payment here, and a payment here,” she said.

Mennefield reached out to Main Street Renewal after the company told her they did not file for an eviction.

However, Dekalb County magistrate records show an eviction was filed in 2017.

In a message to Mennefiled, the company admitted to the discrepancy but stated it can’t be reversed and it’s up to Mennefield to correct her record.

Rental legal advocates say there’s recourse renters can take when dealing with eviction errors.

Atlanta Legal Aid says a renter should file a motion to request a judge to have the eviction sealed, which would prevent it from appearing on a person’s rental record.

Main Street Renewal shared a statement with Channel 2 Action News that read,

“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused Ms. Mennefield, and we have taken steps to update our policies to ensure that this does not happen again. We take these matters very seriously. We have since reached out to offer her options for other homes in her neighborhood to ensure she can stay in her community. In addition, we have offered her reimbursement options including rent concessions, moving fees, and possible legal costs, as incurred.”

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