Tenant Pays Landlord $270 After Overstaying Lease by Days

A small claims court in Eilat has ordered a former tenant to pay his landlord 1,000 shekels (approximately $270) after the tenant vacated the apartment several days late and allegedly owed money for electricity. The landlord, Nativ Zayton, had sued Aviv David Yitzman for 2,500 shekels, claiming the tenant had overstayed his lease and failed to pay for electricity.

The original lease was for six months starting in December 2024, but the parties continued under the same terms until January 2026. The dispute arose when Yitzman did not vacate the apartment by the agreed-upon date of February 1, 2026, leaving a few days later.

The court focused on the duration of the delay and the applicable compensation. The lease stipulated a penalty of 250 shekels per day for late departure. Initially, Zayton claimed 1,250 shekels based on this, but later revised his calculation to 90 shekels per day, equivalent to a pro-rata rent, after Yitzman argued the original penalty was excessive and the lease had expired. The parties disagreed on whether the delay was five or six days. Judge Amit Yariv ruled in favor of the tenant, determining it was five days, resulting in a 450 shekel penalty.

Zayton also claimed 502 shekels for unpaid electricity, including an old balance from August to November 2025. The judge dismissed this claim, citing a lack of evidence that Zayton had contacted Yitzman about the prior balance. The court noted that Yitzman's January 2026 rent payment included an electricity component, and no outstanding debt was mentioned at the time. The judge awarded only the electricity consumed from January 11 until the actual departure, an amount Yitzman acknowledged as "negligible."

Regarding the condition of the apartment, Zayton claimed it was returned dirty and sought compensation for the time spent trying to collect the debt. Yitzman countered with a video showing the apartment was clean, but the video was never submitted to the court. The judge did not rule on this matter, as Zayton had not specifically requested compensation for cleaning costs.

Ultimately, the court awarded Zayton 1,000 shekels, acknowledging the tenant's partial admission of debt and the need for the landlord to pursue legal action. Additionally, Yitzman was ordered to pay 300 shekels in court costs.