Suit alleges Dez Bryant left rental ‘littered with trash and feces’
The owner of a home in DeSoto, Texas is suing Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant after he says Bryant left the home in terrible condition after he moved out earlier this year.
Reporting via court documents filed last week, the Dallas Morning News writes Texas state Rep. Royce West is seeking between $100,000 and $200,000 in damages from Bryant. After the 27-year old moved out in January, West found a home “littered with trash and feces, missing blinds and shutters, with cracked windows and blackened carpeting.”
West’s lawyers say Bryant will not accept responsibility for the damage to the 6,400 square foot home, which is located in a gated community. Bryant moved into the house in September 2013, and records show he paid rent of $4,720 a month; the lease agreement required Bryant to keep the property clean and beyond normal wear-and-tear, it was to be left in the same condition as when he moved in.
But after Bryant moved out, and West did a walk-through of the property (neither Bryant nor someone representing him was present for the walkthrough), he found “irreparable damage to carpeting, flooring, windows, shutters, and blinds; the presence of animal feces, trash, debris, and personal property inside the residence; and distinct and pervasive odors throughout.”
West says he’s had to spend over $60,000 on repairs, including extensive cleaning, repainting the entire house, cleaning or replacing all of the flooring and carpeting, and replacing the home’s security system as well as broken doors and windows. West has not been able to rent the home again since Bryant left because of the repairs.
The two sides traded letters before the lawsuit, with Royce asking Bryant and his agent in April to pay for the repairs, and Bryant’s lawyer responding that he would sue West if West continued to seek payment. West replied that repair reimbursement was required under terms of the lease.
The lawsuit would seem to mark the end of a personal relationship between West and Bryant. The Morning News story says West was part of an “informal support group of prominent residents” created to mentor Bryant and help keep him out of trouble; other members of the group include cardiologist Dr. Donald Arnette as well as former Cowboys Michael Irvin and Nate Newton.
You can see some photos of the property damage and the lawsuit on the Dallas Morning News page.
