LOS ANGELES – Landlords have been illegally raising prices due to the Los Angeles wildfires, says Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim. The LA property mogul, who owns the luxury real estate brokerage at the centre of the Netflix reality show, said one client had been asked for thousands over the original asking price to rent a home – despite California’s anti “price gouging” laws. It comes as LA officials warned anyone caught “taking advantage” of the disaster by scamming or burgling wildfire victims would be prosecuted.

Thousands of people have lost homes in LA and displaced victims say they are facing sky-high rental prices and hotel fees. Oppenheim said his business, known for selling LA’s most expensive and glamorous homes, was offering its services for free and had received dozens of calls from people who had lost homes. Speaking on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, he described sending a client to visit a property where the landlord had previously been asking for $13,000 per month in rent.

“[My client] offered $20,000 a month and he offered to pay six months upfront and the landlord said ‘I want $23,000’,” he said. “There are price gouging laws in California, they’re just being ignored right now, and this isn’t the time to be taking advantage of situations.” The 47-year-old added that the disaster had been “emotional for everyone”. He said: “Everyone has tears in their eyes all day long, literally from the smoke but also just because it’s emotional to see people struggling like this.” (BBC)

Photo: LA landlords illegally inflating rents, says Selling Sunset star.