This is the story of how my family's life was upended, not by a natural disaster (after the COVID-19 era, we made it through that) and this was not a simple misunderstanding, but by the deliberate and cruel actions of a property manager who abused her power.
To HomeRiver Group, Margaret Potter is simply an employee. But to me and my family, she was the gatekeeper to our safety and stability during one of the darkest periods of our lives. Instead of maintaining a professional relationship, she used her authority to intimidate, threaten, and illegally displace a disabled tenant relying on government funds. She became a source of profound trauma.
The Context of Our Vulnerability
When these events occurred, my family was already carrying an unimaginable burden. My mother had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. My emotional and mental bandwidth was stretched to its absolute limit as I tried to care for her and manage my own documented disability.
Through a government-funded sublease that was signed by Ms. Potter's team, I had secured a 50 percent payment arrangement for our home due to a personal disability. My son had just started attending a new school only five minutes down the road. We had a foundation, and we were trying to survive a family tragedy.
The Abuse of Power
Instead of following the laws of South Carolina, Margaret Potter bypassed the court system entirely. She did not file for a lawful eviction. Instead, she chose the path of cruelty and intimidation. She called me and used verbal threats to force us out of our home.
In that moment, she was not acting as a property manager; she was acting as a bully exploiting a family in crisis. The fear she instilled in me worked. Under extreme, compounded emotional distress, and fearing for my family's immediate safety and housing status, I complied with her illegal, "self-help" eviction.
The Devastating Fallout
The consequences of her actions were immediate and devastating:
- • Financial Ruin: I was forced to drain my critical government disability funds just to pay for an Airbnb so my son and I would not be homeless on the street.
- • Family Disruption: My son, who had just started a new school so close to our home, had his life completely uprooted.
- • Emotional Trauma: The stress of being illegally forced out of my home compounded the grief of my mother's terminal illness, pushing me to a breaking point.
The Final Insult
Despite the terror she put us through, I fulfilled my obligations. I left the property in pristine condition, which I have extensively documented with move-out photographs. I provided HomeRiver Group with my forwarding address via email.
Yet, Margaret Potter and her branch kept my security deposit. They ignored the 30-day legal deadline. They ignored my communications. They took my home, they drained my resources, and then they stole my deposit.
Why I Am Speaking Out
I am telling my story because Margaret Potter's actions are not just poor customer service; they are a violation of basic human rights, federal Fair Housing laws, and South Carolina tenant protections. If she is capable of doing this to a disabled tenant dealing with a terminal family illness, she is fully capable of doing it to others.
I survived the nightmare she put my family through. Now, I am seeking full accountability, restitution for what was stolen from us, and the assurance that she will never be allowed to use her position of power to abuse another vulnerable family again—only to mark up the rent on the property by 40%.
Documented Statutory & Legal Violations
The actions documented on this site represent direct violations of the South Carolina Residential Landlord and Tenant Act and federal law, including but not limited to:
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1.
SC Code § 27-40-660: Unlawful Ouster & "Self-Help" Eviction Property managers cannot bypass the magistrate court. Using verbal threats, intimidation, or pressure to force a tenant out of their home without a legal, judge-signed court order is an unlawful constructive eviction.
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2.
SC Code § 27-40-410: Theft of Security Deposit Landlords have strictly 30 days to return a security deposit or provide a written, itemized list of deductions after receiving a forwarding address. Intentional failure to do so subjects the company to treble (3x) damages plus attorney's fees.
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3.
SC Code § 31-21-40 & Federal Fair Housing Act: Disability Discrimination Targeting, intimidating, or illegally displacing a disabled tenant who relies on government-subsidized disability funding constitutes a severe Fair Housing violation subject to state and federal investigation.
Thank God for the Word, and for being able to pray and read the Word. This is what has helped us through!