COVID survivor leaves rented house over arguments with landlady

A single mother who survived the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Tuesday left her home in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City to escape further arguments with her landlady who pressuring her to pay the two months of rent that she owed.

According to Ivan Mayrina’s report on “24 Oras,” Mary Glen Dosal had several arguments with her landlady Vicky Mariveles over her failure to pay the P7,000 rent that she owed.

On Monday, barangay officials helped settle the conflict by giving Dosal until June 15 to leave her rented home, though she need not pay the P7,000.

However, Dosal decided to leave earlier than June 15.

“Kung maririnig mo ‘yung sobrang sakit na pati personal na buhay ko nadadamay kasi naririnig ng anak ko e,” she said through tears.

Dosal contracted COVID-19 in March from her job as a freelance caregiver.

It had been over two months since she recovered from the respiratory disease but she remained unable to find work.

“Wala na po akong trabaho. Galing pa ako sa sakit, may tatlo pa akong anak, single mother po ako. Sa’n po ako kukuha?” she asked.

Mariveles meanwhile claimed that Dosal had damaged some items in the house she was renting.

“Byuda po ako… wala rin akong hanapbuhay. Unawain mo naman ‘yung may-ari kasi ‘yan din ang inaasahan ng may-ari. Wala naman ‘yang ibang pinagkakakitaan kundi ‘yan,” the landlady argued.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said tenants cannot be forced to pay for missed rent or move out of their houses amid the pandemic.

“The grace period will begin either upon the lifting of whatever community quarantine. Puwede siyang hindi pa magbayad or gamitin niya ‘yung memorandum circular on rental natin. Ang 30-day grace period will already commence at the time that she is able to work,” Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo explained.

“The general assumption kasi on rentals is that if you’re a lessor, ibig sabihin may property ka, meron kang ibang sources of income and then there’s also the deposit and downpayment,” she added.

Tenants facing similar problems with their landlords may contact the DTI consumer hotline at 1-DTI or 1384. — Julia Mari Ornedo/DVM, GMA News