Man claims he was "unfairly" evicted from rental property

Earl Howard is an active 80-year-old widower who gets by with the dedicated help of his daughter Sekenna. They've come to FOX 29 because they claim they can't get resolution to a rental gone bad.

Howard and his daughter, Sekeena, say they've saved nearly every bill Earl paid during the five years he rented a first floor apartment in a North Wanamaker Street home. Howard, who worked in construction, says the place was cold and more.

"The outlets--you plug them in and you get a spark--told him about it and he never did anything about it," Howard said.

According to city records, Alfred Cassel is the owner 2116 N. Wanamaker.

Howard says not only would Cassel refuse to make repairs he says Cassel was living in the basement and Howard was paying his PECO bill--hundreds of dollars a month.

He showed FOX 29 a letter from PECO reading: "...The technician found (the) entire basement apartment is wired to the first floor meter."

"I'm paying all the bills," Howard said. FOX 29's Jeff Cole asked, "You're paying all the bills" Howard replied, "I found out he's living in the basement using electricity."

Cassel, who answered his back door, denies it.

"He paid his own electricity. I paid him 50 dollars off his rent for what I used," Cassell said

But there's something else. City records show Cassel did not have a required rental license when Howard was paying him $650 monthly to live there and still doesn't. City records also show last year Cassel was ordered to install fire alarms.

Howard wants money returned and regrets moving in.

"If I had known he was that type of landlord I would have never lived there--never," Howard said.

Howard also claims he was "unfairly" evicted when he repeatedly pushed cassel to make repairs. FOX 29's Jeff Cole saw Alfred Cassel one more time when he drove off in his blue, BMW, music loud, with nothing more to say.