Bayonne teens claim to be victims of rental scam

A group of 13 teenagers from Bayonne claim to be victims of a rental scam in Seaside Heights.
Loren Sgardelis and her friends from Bayonne High School had just celebrated their senior prom and showed up at their rental getaway in Seaside Heights, which cost $4,500 for seven days. About 36 hours later, Sgardelis says the high schoolers were told by Seaside police that they needed to evacuate the house because it was deemed unsafe.
According to documents from code enforcement, the homeowner of the rental was issued several violations, including ones regarding property maintenance and tampering with the electric meter. The owner also reportedly did not have a permit to rent the home since Superstorm Sandy hit.
An order to vacate the premises has since been put on the door.
News 12 spoke with property manager Claudia Confrensco, who says the situation is not what it seems.
"That property has been a rental for a number of years," Confrensco said. "We are refunding everyone's money. There is no intent to defraud, definitely not."
Confrensco claims that police showed up because the teen renters were partying and vandalized the house, putting holes in walls and breaking windows. The teens deny this claim.
Meanwhile, the homeowner on Friday filed a lawsuit against the town concerning the property as it relates to this incident. The teens have filed a police report to ensure they get their money back.