Former Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler is now facing legal troubles after being accused of not paying his rent on a Miami Beach luxury home and leaving the property in disarray, according to a new lawsuit.
Five Star Marketing and Promotions, Inc. — a South Florida company — alleges that the now-Golden State Warriors forward missed two monthly payments for a home he was leasing in Miami Beach and for causing severe property damage as well.
The lawsuit comes weeks after Butler’s trading saga that led to him to depart from the Heat and join the Warriors’ roster.
CBS News Miami has reached out to Butler’s representatives, who have not responded to comment as of Friday afternoon.
The lawsuit
On Aug. 10, 2022, Five Star and Butler entered a two-year lease agreement for a luxury home located at 520 Lakeview Ct. in Miami Beach.
Failure to pay rent
When the lease agreement expired on Aug. 10, 2024, Butler continued to live in the home as a holdover tenant, the lawsuit claimed.
According to the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University, a “holdover tenant” refers to any renter who stays at a property after a lease expires, to which the landlord will take the necessary actions to either remove the tenant or bind them to a new lease.
According to the lawsuit, the lease agreement stated that “after the expiration of this lease without the written permission of the landlord, the amount of rent due during such hold over period shall be double the rent specified.” So, under the lease agreement, the rent Butler was due to pay totaled $130,000. However, Five Star claims that Butler did not pay.
When rent was due the following month, Butler again failed to make a rent payment, the lawsuit claimed.
Disrepair of property
In addition to failing to pay rent, Butler allegedly also caused the luxury home to fall into “complete disrepair due to misuse, neglect and waste,” the lawsuit claimed.
Under the lease agreement, any maintenance or repair caused by either Butler or his visitors “shall be the sole responsibility of the tenant.”
According to the lawsuit, Five Star attempted to get into the home to maintain its HVAC system; however, Butler’s chief of staff prevented the company’s access to perform such maintenance. Additionally, Butler had allegedly changed the locks and didn’t provide Five Star with new keys, thus preventing the company from getting into the home and performing any necessary maintenance or repairs.
The lawsuit claimed that this was a violation of the lease as it states that Five Star had the “unqualified right” to enter the home at all times.
Also, the home’s pool was also found to be unmaintained and “overgrown with algae and other debris” despite Butler allegedly insisting he would get his own pool-cleaning services to maintain it. Due to the pool’s “extreme condition/disrepair,” the pool pumps also broke and required replacements, the lawsuit claimed.
Because Five Star was not allowed access to the home for repairs, the air conditioning unit was allegedly not maintained, and the filter was not changed when needed. This led to condensation lines getting blocked off, creating a “significant leak” in the ceiling that required its removal and replacement. The lawsuit also claimed that this led to damage to the hardwood floors and mold growth throughout the property.
The total costs of repairs caused by Butler’s alleged misuse, neglect and waste was $127,282. The lawsuit claimed that despite the lease agreement stating that it is the tenant’s obligation to pay for repairs, Bulter left the home and refused to pay for damages shortly after Five Star sent him a demand letter to pay up.
“For the reasons set forth above, Plaintiff, Five Star Marketing and Promotions, Inc., demands judgment against Defendent, Jimmy Butler, for damages,” the lawsuit said.
