Building owner says he was left with over 1800 tires after renter skips out on lease

(FOX 2) - The owner of a commercial building was left with a massive mess of used tires after his last renter skipped out on the lease.

Greg Davis is a longtime Detroiter and veteran trying to make a living. Earlier this year, he rented out his building on Livernois near the Lodge Freeway on the city's west side.

"I was just the landlord trying to get a lease agreement ... for the year and I get stuck with tires," he said.

Davis was leasing the facility to Veronica Adams of Black Star Global back in January.

"She goes around and picks up tires, charges I don't know what the fee is and this was her hub to bring the tires here to do recycling," he said.

Davis says he charged about $1,600 a month on the year-long lease. Then suddenly, on May 15, Adams changed her mind.

"She told me, 'I'm giving you a key back. I no longer need your building and that was it. And I said you still owe this month. She said, 'No I don't, I don't owe anything for this month," he said.

Davis says she left behind more than 1,800.

"I told the state they left me with all these tires, what should I do?" he said.

He says the state then called Adams and told him she had two weeks to clean them up -- but he's still waiting. FOX 2 stopped by Veronica Adams' office to see what she had to say.

"We went to the City of Detroit. They told us we couldn't operate there and I was paying $1,600 a month for a property I couldn't use. I had to move, I had to," she said.

FOX 2: "But it still space that you are using with the tires."

Adams: "No it's not my tires. Those were there when I got there."

FOX 2: "She says all these tires were here when she moved in." 

Davis: "That's impossible. She's definitely lying. I'm not even in the tire business. I'm never done anything with tires. I'm not looking to do anything with tires."

There is something the two can agree on. Adams says the state did contact her and told her she needs to remove the tires.

Adams: "They asked me to move the tires and I'm going to at my own cost. I have to pay for that. And they were there when I got there."
 
FOX 2: "If they're not your tires why would you pay for that?"

Adams: "I have to. I didn't have a choice because I'm in compliance and I want to stay in compliance."

FOX 2 contacted the state with no response just yet, but Davis says he's now hired an attorney to deal with the broken lease and all the tires.

Adams says they'll be gone on or before June 15.