A Nova Scotia judge has mandated students pay for shocking damages to a rental property he called an actual Animal House, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. .“The landlord took the position the house was virtually destroyed,” said Nova Scotia Small Claims Court Judge Raffi Balmanoukian in a ruling. .“The tenants had not yet been born when National Lampoon released the movie Animal House in 1978.” .Animal House was a comedy starring American actor John Belushi and Canadian actors John Vernon and Donald Sutherland. It depicted irresponsible behaviour by members of a fraternity at fictional US campus Faber College..Balmanoukian said missing from Animal House is “a storyline in which the homeowner and inhabitants confront each other about the state of the dwelling in which much of the action takes place.” If such a scene had happened, he expects it would look like this lawsuit. .Evidence showed the Antigonish, NS, house was rented to several students at a time. Fifteen tenants came and went over a two-year period. .Balmanoukian called the house “something of a Grand Central Station for all and sundry.” One student said he left the property a bit dirty. .The judge responded by saying the house had a shocking collection of beer cans and pizza boxes. He found a bit dirty to be an understatement. .Damage included warped siding, holes punched in drywall, torn screens, doors knocked off hinges, kicked-off railings, cotton glued to the ceiling, and a garage filled with trash. .Balmanoukian said the house needed to be cleaned twice and painted inside, top to bottom. He agreed with the landlord the sump pump cistern was used as a trash can for the pop-up bar in the basement, which resulted in it being burned out. .For the tenants’ part, they acknowledged the property needed cleaning and some items were left behind, but they felt it was not that bad. They deny the wear and tear went beyond what they say was or should have been covered by their security deposit. .Students paid $4,200 a month in rent with a $2,100 security deposit. The landlord’s bills included $19,911 to replace siding, another $3,951 for construction supplies, $2,613 for new windows, $1,812 for painting, and $2,199 to hire cleaners who billed for 50 hours labour. .The court ordered $8,032 in damages.
