Couple Evicted From Luxury Herzliya Apartment After Legal Battle Over Unpaid Rent
A couple rented a luxury apartment on Medinat HaYehudim Street in Herzliya Pituach in December 2025, paying only one month’s rent to the London-based owner. The arrangement was facilitated through a local resident whose husband knew one of the tenants from their synagogue community, creating initial trust. When the couple requested to stay an additional month in January 2026, they failed to pay rent and repeatedly delayed vacating the property.
In February, the couple provided a bank transfer receipt for 38,000 shekels, which the owner’s representatives found suspicious due to identical reference numbers on previous receipts, raising doubts about its authenticity. The tenants denied forgery, claiming the receipt came from Revolut’s customer service after their account was temporarily restricted. Meanwhile, they changed the apartment’s locks without permission. Despite multiple eviction demands, the couple remained, handing over a diamond ring and gold watch as collateral but still failing to settle the debt, which reached approximately 47,700 shekels by March 2026.
The dispute moved to arbitration in the Herzliya community court, where the couple was given a final 15-day extension to pay and vacate, later providing a saxophone as additional collateral. However, they still refused to leave. On June 15, the arbitration ruling ordered the couple to pay 104,000 shekels and vacate within 24 hours. They ignored this decision and stayed in the apartment.
The owner then engaged attorney Talia Berzani, who filed a request to enforce the arbitration ruling at the Kfar Saba Magistrate’s Court. On July 6, Judge Hagit Bulmash presided over the enforcement hearing. The tenant attempted to delay eviction, claiming he did not understand Hebrew documents and expressing concerns about evicting his wife. The judge rejected these arguments, noting his Hebrew proficiency and participation in the arbitration process. She demanded a clear commitment to vacate by midnight, which the tenant gave. The judge confirmed the arbitration ruling as a court judgment, enabling enforcement of eviction and payment. The couple was also ordered to pay 2,000 shekels in legal fees and vacated the apartment the next morning.
Attorney Berzani emphasized that despite numerous extensions and opportunities, only court enforcement restored the owner’s control. She advised swift, organized, and determined action when tenants stop paying rent and refuse to leave.
