What to do if we are having issues with our previous landlord charging ridiculously overpriced repairs and cleaning?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What to do if we are having issues with our previous landlord charging ridiculously overpriced repairs and cleaning?
The charges equal less than $1,500 but that is a substantial amount to a household with one employed and two small children. Basically she wants to dissolve the deposit we put down and charge us an additional $700. I have attempted to dispute the charges with her to no avail and the capstone to this is that she got the statement to us postmarked 16 days after move out when the legal limit is 14 days. What should be done here?
Asked on October 1, 2012 under Real Estate Law, Washington
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
You can sue your landlord to recover any amounts that they improperly withheld in small claims court. The filing fees are low, you act as your own attorney and cases tend to move somewhat faster than say housing court.
The fact is that a landlord may only charge a tenant the reasonable cost of repairs which are made necessary by damage which the tenant (or family, guests, pets, etc.) caused and which exceeds normal wear and tear for the amount of time they occupied the premises.
Legally, not only can your landlord not charge you for normal wear and tear, they may not charge you for normal, end-of-tenancy cleaning and may not charge you for their or their staff's time (only for parts/supplies and outside contractors or labor). And while the landlord does not have to charge you the absolute lowest repair cost, they may not charge you an inflated costs or for unnecessary repairs.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.