By Staff Reporter
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published May 13th, 2026
_____
Florida Property Management Firm to Pay Record $60,000 Over Illegal Eviction of Navy Sailor
TAMPA, FL — Rental Marketing Solutions, LLC (RMS), a St. Petersburg-based property management company, has agreed to pay $60,000 to resolve allegations of violating the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). The settlement follows claims that the company obtained an unlawful eviction judgment against an active-duty Navy sailor by filing a false military service affidavit.
This settlement marks the largest amount the Department of Justice (DOJ) has ever secured for a single servicemember in a case involving a false military affidavit.
A Struggle for Housing and Family Separation
The DOJ alleged that RMS filed for an eviction against the sailor for a property he had not occupied in years. Despite his active-duty status, the company filed an affidavit claiming he was not in the military. At the time of the court proceedings, the sailor was stationed aboard the USS Nimitz in Bremerton, Washington.
The legal fallout had devastating real-world consequences:
- 💸 Rental Denials: More than a dozen landlords refused to lease to the sailor and his wife after seeing the eviction on his background check.
- 🏚️ Homelessness: The sailor was forced to rotate through temporary housing for four months, including sleeping on a berthed naval ship without heat.
- ✈️ Family Displacement: The sailor's wife was forced to move to another state to live with her parents while the couple remained separated.
Legal Protections and the SCRA
The SCRA is designed to protect military members from legal actions that might occur while they are focused on their service. Under the act, if a defendant does not appear in court, the plaintiff must file an affidavit confirming their military status. This ensures the court can appoint an attorney or delay proceedings to protect the servicemember's rights.
"No servicemember should ever be denied housing or have their record tarnished based on a false affidavit," stated U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. "These servicemembers, along with their families, sacrifice to serve our country and deserve to be treated with dignity."
Terms of the Settlement
In addition to the $60,000 in compensation for the sailor, Rental Marketing Solutions must:
- 💳 Provide ten years of credit monitoring for the affected servicemember.
- ⚖️ Pay a $6,000 civil penalty.
- 📋 Implement and maintain strict SCRA compliance policies to prevent future violations.
Since 2011, the Justice Department has recovered nearly $489 million for over 150,000 servicemembers through SCRA enforcement. Military members who believe their rights have been violated are encouraged to contact their local Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office.
_____
iSkyNews.com | Trusted Local Coverage — Safety Creator and Contributing Journalist for Citizen
📲 Join and follow iSkyNews on Citizen: https://go.citizen.com/iskynews
Follow iSkyNews.com for breaking news, public safety updates, and community alerts across Florida and Arizona.
💬 See something we missed?
If you spot an error or have additional information, please reach out: support@iskynews.com
© 2026 iSkyNews.com — All rights reserved. Unauthorized use, copying, or redistribution of this content is strictly prohibited.
0 Comments