Oral contract at center of lawsuit involving home rental agreement

GRETNA – A tenant who claims she made an oral agreement with her landlord concerning a lifetime lease is suing him claiming he is preparing to evict her.

Alice M. Aldridge filed suit against Shiva Kumar Akula, individually and on behalf of Shiva Kumar Akula LLC, in the 24th Judicial District Court on Oct. 16.

Aldridge asserts that in 1999 she entered into an oral contract with Akula concerning a lifetime lease agreement with the opportunity to purchase a home located at 3701 Clearview Parkway in Metairie, which she has lived in since. The plaintiff claims that pursuant to this agreement she paid for $200,000 in repairs and renovations on the home after it was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina and also took out a $20,000 loan for part of the renovations. Aldridge alleges due to divorce proceedings between Akula and his wife that it has come to her attention that Akula may want to take possession of the home again and force her out. The plaintiff asserts she found out Akula may want to renege on his contract due to a document he filed in the divorce proceedings saying that she had been living rent free in the home.

The defendant is accused of breach of contract.

The plaintiff requests the court enforce the lease agreement in exchange for rent from her which consists of tax payments, maintenance and repairs and the repayment of a small loan taken out to cover some of the renovations after Hurricane Katrina.

Aldridge is represented by Claudia P. Santoyo of Metairie-based The Civil Law Center LLC.

The case has been assigned to Division M Judge Henry G. Sullivan Jr.

Case no. 732-064.