A St. Clair County woman is suing a property owner for fraud when he allegedly inflated rental fees and then refused to perform the required work to make the property inhabitable.
Catherine A. Duree filed a lawsuit on June 8 in St. Clair County Circuit Court against Dennis H. Albert of Belleville, claiming contract violation in a June agreement.
According to the complaint, the defendant, who owns real property at 225 Country Meadow Lane in Belleville, allegedly agreed to rent the land and residence to the plaintiff’s daughter, Nicole Duree. According to the complaint, Albert required two months’ advance rent plus a one-month deposit.
The complaint states that the plaintiff paid Albert $2,550 on June 3. The next day, Albert allegedly told Catherine Duree that he had changed his mind; and on June 5, informed her that he would rent it to Nicole Duree after all, but at a higher rate than agreed and with additional deposit funds.
After a property inspection allegedly revealed that the property needed approximately $10,000 worth of repair work before it could be inhabited, the defendant allegedly refused to make repairs and refused to refund the Durees' money.
Alleging false representation, fraudulent concealment and intent to defraud, Catherine Duree seeks damages in the amount of $60,000, plus attorneys’ fees and costs.
She is represented by David M. Duree & Associates in O’Fallon.
St. Clair County Circuit Court case number 15-L-336