red_eye_jedi
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
I have lived in a hotel for several years in Los Angeles. I have a month-to-month tenancy as per my rental contract. The hotel provides a weekly housekeeping (maid) service (for an additional monthly fee). I do not have this service. But a maid tried to enter my room while I was undressed. I felt embarrassed and violated.
Earlier this week I had a rather unpleasant experience. I had just showered and was coming out of the bathroom, when a maid, using her key card, opened up my door to enter. I had the dead-bolt and the chain lock secured. The chain lock prevented the door from opening completely.
After getting dress, I went to investigate. The maid showed me her cleaning schedule/assignment which had my room listed. I spoke to the Housekeeping Manager. She showed me a printout and computer screen display. They both indicated that my room number had a status code of “occupant checked out,” when in fact I hadn’t. She explained that when housekeeping sees such a code, they merely follow procedure: clean and prepare those rooms for the next occupant(s).
In the past, I have made it abundantly clear to the hotel that I was to receive proper legal notification if maintenance needed to do work in my room, unless it was an emergency situation. After a few violations of that, I was repeatedly told that I would be given 24-hour written notification in non-emergency situations. The hotel management also reassured me that the housekeeping personnel would not enter my room, as I didn’t have that service anyway.
I would like to sue the hotel for a civil trespass. Can I sue for trespass even though the maid did not actually enter the room? I can do this in small claims court? For what amount can I sue? At a minimum, of what must I convince the court in order to prevail?
I have lived in a hotel for several years in Los Angeles. I have a month-to-month tenancy as per my rental contract. The hotel provides a weekly housekeeping (maid) service (for an additional monthly fee). I do not have this service. But a maid tried to enter my room while I was undressed. I felt embarrassed and violated.
Earlier this week I had a rather unpleasant experience. I had just showered and was coming out of the bathroom, when a maid, using her key card, opened up my door to enter. I had the dead-bolt and the chain lock secured. The chain lock prevented the door from opening completely.
After getting dress, I went to investigate. The maid showed me her cleaning schedule/assignment which had my room listed. I spoke to the Housekeeping Manager. She showed me a printout and computer screen display. They both indicated that my room number had a status code of “occupant checked out,” when in fact I hadn’t. She explained that when housekeeping sees such a code, they merely follow procedure: clean and prepare those rooms for the next occupant(s).
In the past, I have made it abundantly clear to the hotel that I was to receive proper legal notification if maintenance needed to do work in my room, unless it was an emergency situation. After a few violations of that, I was repeatedly told that I would be given 24-hour written notification in non-emergency situations. The hotel management also reassured me that the housekeeping personnel would not enter my room, as I didn’t have that service anyway.
I would like to sue the hotel for a civil trespass. Can I sue for trespass even though the maid did not actually enter the room? I can do this in small claims court? For what amount can I sue? At a minimum, of what must I convince the court in order to prevail?
