Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul today announced the filing of a civil law enforcement action against Youssef (Joe) Berrada and his property management company, Milwaukee-based
Berrada Properties Management, Inc.
The complaint alleges that Berrada and Berrada Properties violated the state’s landlord-tenant law by including illegal provisions in leases, illegally charging tenants late rent fees and court fees, and engaging in illegal security deposit deduction practices.
The complaint also alleges that Berrada and Berrada Properties engaged in several illegal practices while remodeling newly acquired buildings with existing tenants, including: forcing tenants out of their apartment, throwing away tenant property, and entering apartments at unreasonable times and without proper notice.
Berrada could not immediately be reached for comment.
“Wisconsin law provides important protections for renters, and violations of our landlord-tenant laws can significantly affect the lives of people who are harmed by those violations,” Kaul said in a news release. “The Wisconsin Department of Justice is committed to protecting the public, including from the kinds of unlawful practices alleged in this case.”
Berrada is the sole owner of more than 170 limited liability companies that combined own more than 8,000 apartment units in Wisconsin, most of which are in Milwaukee and Racine, according to the Wisconsin Department of Justice. Berrada is also the sole owner of Berrada Properties Management, Inc., which manages all of the apartment units, according to the DOJ.
