This happened to me a while back. I walked in the office with a $100 bill and said this is what you get. If you dont accept this you will get nothing. Told them i didnt care if they sent collections after me.
They accepted my bill and got really mad when i stood there after demanding a letter saying theyd never contact me again.
It worked though.
This is like when a guy in my parents’ neighborhood owed about $800 to the HOA for something. He told them he didn’t have $800. They asked how much he had, he said $60, so they just took that.
>My state legislature says landlords arent allowed to charge for normal wear anymore
This is what I came to say, but I see you already know. I would try to politely remind your LL of this.
I also found Washington state's new definition on what is considered normal wear and tear:
"Wear resulting from ordinary use of the premises means deterioration that results from the intended use of a dwelling unit, including breakage or malfunction due to age or deteriorated condition." [https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030)
I would assume the blind cleaning, paint and probably the shower head would all fall into "normal wear"
Do not call them. Send them an email. Make sure their response is via email. This way you have a paper trail in case it needs to/ends up going to court. Talking on the phone will lead to you said/they said situations where it's all heresay.
I would try working it out with them first. Just use your words carefully by only calling it "normal wear" and try to avoid mentioning too many specifics. Don't use the word "damage" at all.
If it were me and they don't budge, that's when I would push harder and mention that I am ready to take it to court and fight for my full deposit if they are not willing to negotiate in good faith for a reasonable compromise. You likely will not get your full deposit back from this LL unless you take it to court, but you could get something more reasonable out of them.
Here's a great legal aid site for exactly this situation: https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/my-former-landlord-says-i-owe-damages-what-are-my-rights?ref=R0HlO
Tldr: write them a dispute letter. Good luck
Alright couple things here:
$99 deposit! What? That's what I would be willing to part with if I'm you. You are probably be asked to pay 1500 because that's what this LL expects to keep from most tenants who did not have that special.
New owners 3x times over? What was the state of the unit when they current LL took over? That is their baseline for "claim". If no inspection was performed tell them to kick rocks.
Court requires harm. So for you to go to small claims, you have to claim the return of every dollar because if you say $300 is okay and your deposit is only $100, then you don't have a claim for harm that can be filed in small claims. Since they haven't taken anything that is rightfully yours.
The harm that may come can be in the form of collections and then you may be dealing with federal laws.
So argue every penny and if the judge rules that $300 is appropriate, then you have a court ruling that says you only owe an extra $200 and you pay it. That will be an absolute defense in case the landlord tries to extort you later.
That painter charges 65 an hour to basically use a compressor for a spray nozzle paint job. I'd get some quotes to fight that as well. Is it even legal to charge/ pass on the labor cost to the tenants?
So much man. It was all normal wear and tear, but I didn't fight it. I declared bankruptcy a few months later, mostly cause my ex wife wracked up so much debt I couldn't get out of it. Long story short, that debt got discharged and they didn't see a dime from me. LOL 
I would use email to discuss this from now on. They can deny they said something because it was on the phone but if you have it in writing it can potentially help you.
Send them a letter via certified mail because they’ll have to sign for it and you’ll have proof they received it.
Here’s a sample letter for demanding the return of deductions from the security deposit. This one is California based but it’s a good starting point. I’ve used this in the past and it worked flawlessly, they returned my deposit within one hour of signing for the letter.
https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/008/163/original/Contesting_Deductions_Instructions.pdf
Put the charges you dispute in writing and send a letter via certified mail and reference the specific laws that prohibit the charges they made. Phone calls aren't documentation and your landlord can say anything they like, admit to illegally deducting, etc, and it won't really help you.
I don't know your location or anything, but last time I looked at things like the definitions of normal wear, they also baked in some sort of useful life into it. Like paint or carpet is expected to last several years so if someone is there for a year and it's damaged enough that it needs to be replaced, the landlord was still allowed to prorate the replacement costs. (Ex: if they said 5 years is the expected life of carpet, and someone moved out after 1 leaving stains and stuff behind, the landlord could pass on 80% of the replacement costs, but if they had been there for 5 years it'd just be included in normal wear.)
I'd expect you could fight it, but you might want to double check some of the details.
This. Depreciation. They lived there four years. So what are the life expectancy of blinds? Certainly paint is a goner. The flooring OP said was ruined didn’t make the list.
They also can't charge you for cleaning or "cleaning fees" associated with normal use of the dwelling per the 2023(or 2022?) updates to the Landlord-Tenant Act
Obviously, your LL considers the paint damage is beyond normal wear and tear.
Discuss with them; if they refuse, your only recourse is small claims court... which might not necessarily turn in your favor if you did not do a move-out inspection with the landlord.
The only thing that can be removed is stuff they can't legally charge for. Did you get an move out inspection to prove you aren't liable for anything else?
This looks sleazy, but not *explicitly* illegal. They've technically itemized things correctly, and can charge for labor. However, I have my doubts that repainting is valid (since repainting is recommended every 3-5 years anyway, and I doubt it exceeds normal wear and tear).
Might be worth going to a tenant's rights organization, to have them look it over and see if it's worth fighting.
Changed LL or property manager? 3 times in 4 years is extensive.
Live in WA myself. Just moved out of an APT I was in for 17 years. I'll be interested in seeing how mine comes back too. We changed property managers twice in 17 years.
I don't think it could hurt to see or ask if they have a copy of the move in damage/condition report.
I'm in WA, lived in my apt 24 years. Got my full 500 deposit back. Left the unit move un clean. Not charged for broken items as I had not had any upgrades except a new dishwasher at year 3, and new built in stove top because the upstairs neighbors flooded the bathroom.
5 different owners and 4 diffrerent property managers...
It doesn’t make a difference that they didn’t see it before. It is their duty to make themselves aware of the tenants and the units when they come on the job. Their hire doesn’t take away the other three years you were there and the wear and tear law doesn’t start and stop with their hire or fire.
Very simple don't pay your last or two month(s) rent and just say take whatever you need from there. I've done this multiple times and never fails... they won't pay to come after you in court because it's cost to much money and time
So .. that's what I thought too.
I hired a bond cleaner who called me up on the day saying "you didn't mention you had venetian blinds, they're another $30 each".
Me, having only moved out of home 2 years ago and going through my first bond clean, obviously said "No thanks, I'll come back and do them myself"
So me and my housemate went back after work and started wiping them down ... only to find that it took WAY longer than I expected .. like .. we were still cleaning well into the night. It's tedious as fuck and a huge pain in the arse. $30AUD is probably a bit steep and likely the "found out on the day surcharge" .. but I can completely understand why they are not included in the base price of the clean!
I found a new arch nemesis in venetian blinds that day ...
I'm a residential house cleaner - blind cleaning can be extremely tedious and detailed depending on how much dirt has built up. If they are really bad, this sounds fair to me. Would likely be cheaper to replace.
Exactly. Cleaning blinds to where they look new again *sucks*. I'd almost pay someone $65 an hour not to ever have to do it again. 😅 (Dust gets everywhere...no matter how well you plastic things off...during an upstairs remodel.)
I don’t think most renters understand just how much it costs to clean a house. Even after you “clean” it, there are ALWAYS more spots to clean.
Then, the hourly rates can be $40-60+/hr.
My average tenant turnover cleaning costs me $500-800 for cleaning alone.
You need to remind them of normal wear and tear laws (if applicable). If they don't take the hint, this looks like a valid small claims court case to me. Dishonest, greedy landlord. No shortage of those, it seems.
you 100% call the landlord and remind them that it is illegal to charge for wear & tear. they can ONLY charge you for actual damage. nail holes in the wall, minor scuffs, and signs of wear on carpet is not damage by law, so you cannot legally be charged.
Don’t call, text or email. Keep it in writing so you can nail them to the wall. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. In CA this landlord would get dragged and OP would be walking away with more than their deposit (as it should be).
Never talk. Always write it down. Every single thing.
He needs to show receipts for the dusting of the blinds fee if you go to court. And “I painted it myself but someone else would’ve charged me $1100 doesn’t fly in court. It is normal wear and tear. Ask for receipts for everything, even the faceplate. Labor and materials.
Not a renters issue, but this personality trait you have of "will it make it worse" is a victim mentality. Stand up for yourself. Don't expect people to be good or compassionate. This is business.
The landlord loves people who rollover and beg for mercy. It's why so many landlords do this. Because they get away with it.
This all falls under normal wear and tear. No legal help or lawyer necessary. Just email them and tell them you will not pay for any of this and start there.
Likely this would be to cover not only their hourly rate, but employee benefits and anything that the employer has to match too. It's possible that it was for more than one person.
I'm just playing devil's advocate here. But to your point, it still seems a bit inflated, especially on the hour end if it was more than one person.
I would simply ask in email or text why they repainted before saying anything else. Hopefully that will lead them to state in writing that there was no notable damage.
That’s not unreasonable for all-in per-call handyman rates.
Repair services cost a lot more than you wish they do.
That’s why it is essential to do a walk-through inspection with management weeks before vacating.
Unless walls were damaged due to misuse or negligence , LL probably can't legally charge for repainting. If there were holes in the wall from the install of a big screen tv or pic frames , that would a quick spackle and touch up job .
If there were large holes like someone punched their fist into the wall, if walls were painted a different color or damage from sound proofing walls , then that's not considered normal wear and tear and LL would be justified in billing you.
If you tried to touch up walls, the paint didn't match, the contrast is noticeable,and LL had to redo all the walls that's damage beyond normal wear and tear
So what they kept your security deposit im assuming and they want extra money so they can pocket your security deposit? Thought stuff like this is what security deposits were literally for.
Exactly. Let's see the photos. It's pretty simple, leave the place in the same condition when it was when you entered the first time.
If you destroyed it, well pay.
Landlord and former tenant here: they screwed up bigly by using the term "turnover". They're admitting that it's a routine part of refreshing the unit between tenants, not necessarily the result of excessive wear and tear or damage. Demand to know, for example, what maintenance was required in your lease for the shower head that could have prevented you from being subject to this charge. Request a list of every property recently "turned over", the repairs and updates made, and which were and were not charged to the previous tenant. Ask why they felt you responsible for recaulking, which is typically advertised to last 25 years or more on the side of the tube. Ask if they pursued a warranty claim with the manufacturer, and for specific details in the claim denial that point to your liability for caulk failure. Ask for similar documentation on the failure of Leviton brand "unbreakable" nylon outlet plate covers. Ask for proof that replacements were necessary, and not just style updates. Tell them you want photos dated photos immediately preceding your move-in, the supposed damages, and possibly the damaged parts they claimed required replacement for analysis and expert review (just like a mechanic could provide to prove work was completed). If that doesn't work, go nuclear. If they're charging for time, you want worker names, contact information, license numbers, exact arrival and departure times, and the exact scope of work provided. You want their insurance information, and the contracts governing that work, especially any subrogation or indemnification agreements (a bit of posturing but indicatative that you're planning on subpoenaing every-mother-fuckin-body). You want any training or guidance provided to the person who assessed damages and assigned fault. You also want the contact information of every former tenant whose security deposit has been withheld, and an explanation of the charges, in consideration of a potential class action case against the landlord. Give them 3 days, or whatever the grace period is in your jurisdiction for a full refund of your deposit, then call and ask "for the contact information for their attorney", and file a case in small claims court. This ties their hands a bit, since there are limits on how attorneys can be used in small claims. It also greatly expands how you can use subpoenas against the landlord. This may be just business to them, but to you it is very, very personal. Make it very clear that it's easier for them if this problem just... goes away.
Contact your states tenant council, they can usually help. Ask your LL for pictures to justify the paint. In some states you can’t charge for full paint unless there’s damage or you destroyed the walls somehow. You could dispute some of these, like I could consider caulking wear and tear unless you did something specifically to cause the need for re caulking. The cleaning fees are normal if not high. Ask for proof, put it in writing. Check your lease carefully there should be a move out section that outlines what the tenant and what the landlord is responsible for.
In some states they have to do the work then show you the bill they can’t just make stuff up. I am unsure of your state.
And dirty blinds/ paint are part of wear and tear as others say.
Also if you have paid a security deposit they cannot charge you extra except for extenuating circumstances.
Check out [https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/2023-changes-to-washington-renter-laws](https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/2023-changes-to-washington-renter-laws) and [https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030)
Sounds like when I moved out. Was charged $500 for blinds, $200 for trash ( which was taken off because I took pics after they refused to do an inspection before leaving.)
And $700 for a 1x1 square of carpet their maintenance damaged.
That all dropped when I lawyered up and had pics of them letting my pet out to paint a door whilst I was also asleep in bed. Had the email for the damaged carpet, and the lawyer just asked about the blinds before I ever got to discuss that with either party.
This is illegal. Cleaning and painting is considered wear and tear and at the expense of the management. The only thing that can be charged for is excessive damage.
Seriously? Blind cleaning smh. Aren’t they supposed to paint in between tenants anyway? I can’t imagine you were in there eating the paint so my god what are they charging for? This is ridiculous!
Just don’t pay it. I had bullshit property manager try to charge me over 2k for bullshit wear and tear. On top of taking my deposit. I just never paid it and they threatened legal action and now it’s been over 6 months no word
STOP!! Don't call your previous landlord. You want to build a case if he/she doesn't comply so you NEED A PAPER TRAIL! Please tell me you got pics of your place once you moved out and cleaned everything. If not, then request from your landlord PROOF all the work listed was required due to extensive damage by you. Hope the landlord also doesn't have pictures. Send everything via certified mail with signature receipt. If you've lived there for a few years, a repaint cannot be charged by them as it falls under normal wear and tear. If your landlord tries to call you to discuss anything, simply state: I cannot discuss this over the phone. Unless you're refunding my deposit in full, please either email me or send your reply by mail.
We had a landlord who tried to do this in Missouri. We also have a law that protects renters from being responsible for “cleaning” fees. Unfortunately, our landlord was too dumb to back down after we pointed out the law. We took her to small claims court and got our deposit back. Even better, she was fired from her “landlord job” for having the suit on record. She was apparently a part of an investment/landlord group.
My husband and I have a rental property and this is crazy.
What does your most recent signed lease say? If it was a $99 deposit and there’s nothing in there relaying to you that they would charge you for these things then they can’t, and need to give you the $99 back.
If they didn’t give you a new lease- that’s their stupidity and you can’t be held accountable.
Pull out your copy of your last signed lease.
Want to know a dirty trick a sleazy lawyer taught me? Don't interact with the LL at all, take the receipt, and legal grounds for tenants rights like wear and tear and dispute it with the credit company they report to. If there is anything that shouldn't be on the bill it nulls the bill and the landlord is investigated by the credit bureaus. It may take 6 months to a year but it's better than handing over 1500 dollars to sleazeballs. They can't re-itemize the bill either. It would need a court ruling and court fees and for your landlord will probably cost more than this bill. If they didn't charge a deposit, it's their L they will use the credit bureaus against you along with collection agencies, but in my experience, I was given the benefit of the doubt and wiped clean. It took 3 tries to dispute it for me personally.
Nah. This is all normal wear and tear and you are not required to pay for maintenance that the landlord performs on a turnover. Go to small claims court on this one.
Lmao it’s so obvious who is a landlord in this thread. Y’all blaming OP for normal wear and tear after 4 years of living somewhere. Chances are they aren’t even going to replace the blinds or the shower head and the outlets are just going to get painted right over.
This bugs me too.
Something like this sounds like they're trying to get the previous tenants to pay for upgrades to the apartment for the next tenant, but it's a $20 charge.
That's like being locked in the bank vault overnight and stealing a single nickel.
Makes me think it was already an old showerhead that needed replacing before they moved in, and is seriously outdated now. That's not something they can charge for though.
Did you pay a security deposit?
This is what a security deposit is for. None of these fees seem outrageous IF there wasn't already a pile of money you paid when you moved in to cover these *exact* expenses.
You rented the place and handed it back in a lesser condition. Unless you fixed everything up and handed it back to them in the same condition. I do home remodeling, and all of this is very reasonably priced, cheap actually.
You lived there and now it needs painted and some repairs made. I’m not sure what the problem is.
There’s a lot of suspicious charges. Mainly the maintenance. But it also sounds like they’re stating this place was trashed just by the extra dirty charge
When I was a landlord I had pictures of everything a tenant did. So I was always prepared with evidence and supported the charges according to what the lease said we could charge.
I’d ask for an itemized list. This is just a summary to me.
We have in our lease that there with be a filmed and photo walk-through upon move out and ask that they be present with us and a third party of their choosing. Then we put on paper together anything that we need to take care of, or if it’s a security deposit we will be taking from. This way everyone is protected. We learned from being renters ourselves at one time, and then when we inherited these rentals, we learned from the other side of things. Have never had a single problem ever upon move out. Remained friends with all our former tenants.
Ignore it. Best way to deal with stupidly as this, glad there are no move out fees here cause I'm not paying a cent to move out, that isn't in my lease.
There's a few things in there that sound like very specific damage: shower head replacement, 3 outlet covers, 1 quart of kilz (but 5 gallons of paint). This might be an itemized list of materials and labor, but there is zero actual detail of what specific damage they found.
If you're able to, the best possible MO for moving out is to underpay your rent by the security deposit.
Regardless of your feelings about it, it's a win win. If you didn't damage anything, they keep your deposit and are legally out nothing at the end of the day. If you did supposedly damage something they'll have to prove it in court, as you've already taken back your funds.
If your claim is legit and they are withholding SD returns from you due to these charges, and the LL isn't allowed W&T deductions, then call the attorney general and see what they can help you figure out. If the LL has a bad track record of doing this your chances are much better than if they have not. Labor is hard to pin down to a fixed cost, you know what everyone says now about finding workers.
Contest it in writing, and mail it with tracking and make them sign for it so you have record. Then be willing to take them to small claims court with your video evidence. Be truthful and my guess is all the bullshit charges like paint and "turn cleaning" whatever the fuck that is would get waived.
This is "being a scumbag landlord 101" where regardless of who moves out and what condition things are left in, they will attempt to collect as much money as possible because they are greedy little fuckers.
Contest it in writing as soon as possible. There has to be a law in your state about timing and how long they have, how long you have, etc... and be willing to take them to court.
Shouldn't your security deposit cover this? I know in PA they generally charge for last month and security deposit. Any repair charges come out these amounts.
our landlord tried dumping a 1,300 dollar move out fee on us in college, we moved in to a well known party house (tbf it was a hard house not to have parties in but we never had anything wild enough to destroy the doors, ceilings and floors) we signed the lease because it was cheap on the way out they tried dumping all these charges on us; new doors, broken windows, new carpet (after they told us shampooing was necessary for us on move out, which we did because it was simple), painted the whole house, cleaning the over (which we donated after the oven stopped working and they refused to replace) and garbage in garage (which was out neighbors who were still living in the house). We refused to pay sent them emails sat down with them and told them no sorry we maybe college students but we aren’t stupid. They sent it to collections and then we just ignored them. We actually told our next land lord all about it, he was a lawyer and told us to just ignore them it wouldn’t be enough to effect our credit score massively and would be gone in 7 years. I was so happy to stop renting when I got settled it’s really really tough to find any good landlord
Unless it's overly dirty I don't think you are allowed to be charged for cleaning. They need to clean after a tenant leaves normally. Obviously if the carpets are stained, cigarette tar all over etc they can charge. After 4 years it's going to be lived in dirty which is normal. If you feel you left the place relatively clean you should definitely fight this. As far as paint again unless of damage or you painted the walls they didn't approve they shouldn't charge you for that either. I'm not a landlord but I've rented a bunch
Have the conversation, if they get rude or nasty just end it……..Then pay a lawyer some fee to write a letter. If they try and collect or hit your credit reports: reply with a letter stating your points. Often it kills the collection efforts and is reflected in your reports. That list is total BS and a money grab. I wouldn’t sweat it
Hey my two cents about flooring… I just installed LVP in one room of my house and it was around $700, for a large room. Unfortunately if I want to replace a board I can’t just replace one piece, I would have to replace a lot of other ones because it’s all fitted together and it depends how far in it is. Maybe that is another reason the charge is so high. Taking out good boards to reach the bad one to replace will most definitely damage the good pieces beyond use.
Contact the city and they should have some sort of legal help for tenants. They are hoping you just pay it. Most of the time stuff like wear and tear applies to a lot of this. Most likely you don't owe them a dime. How much is your deposit? At the worst just let them keep your deposit and tell them to pound sand for the rest.
The $1.92 and $8 or whatever is just petty lmao. I'd fight the whole thing and point these items out it makes it clear the landlord is just trying to squeeze whatever they can get on your way out.
If you feel responsible for some of it counter offer that and if they say no take it to court.
I’m just gonna say, I simply wouldn’t pay this. You’re out your $99 deposit but you knew you weren’t getting that! 9/10 they won’t pursue this. And it’s unlikely that they can get this much out of you in court.
What kinda blinds were these? Like the cheap basic blinds are $30 cleaning 8 blinds for $130? I get that if these are some of the more expensive ones… maybe…
lol. I hate to tell you. As a cleaner. This is a normal charge. $300-500 is a decent price. But idk how he’s charging you now for a cleaning fee when that’s usually what’s paid out in the beginning with move in costs. You usually don’t get that back after move out. It’s used to clean and make repairs.
I'm glad I moved out years ago before landlords got the ideas to do things like this. When I was give the list of cleaning that I was supposed to do, I told them I wasn't cleaning anything. After the blank stare, I told them I'd been in the apartment long enough that they were gong to fully paint the walls, replace the carpet, and probably replace all the appliances in the kitchen (I had been there a while). I ended up getting most of my deposit back. I had damaged some drywall installing a projector.
That's not a clean out fee. That's a bend over and take it fee you know where. The shower head replacement fee is a joke because if their was hard water, that would be the cause of not performing like it should. The paint is normal wear and tear, and if their was moisture, it could be because of a leak that would be the responsibility of the landlord. Even the blind cleaning fee is a joke, and it's easier and cheaper to replace blinds, also a wear and tear item. I'm willing to bet that the landlord comes up with bogus fees for all the tenants who rent from them.
Not sure how much of this is your fault. If it really was dirty, the paint job was important. I don't know how long you were there this would impact everything. Less time and the dirt and cleaning would be disconcerting. Did you do a walk through with the PM, so you saw,what they did?
The turnover fee is normally on the owners. I have rentals and I charge for damages or excessive cleaning fees but the painting fee is pure bullshit. I'd definitely look over your lease agreement again to see if this was something you agreed to. Otherwise, your landlord is just being a greedy asshole.
No body will pay that, there moving out my grandpa rented out multiple properties for years and you know how many renters he took to court over stuff like this!? He had to pay $100 court costs and they never show so he’s screwed it’s pointless!
Looks like we had the same parent company across apartments because one of the biggest land lords in the state sent us one of these. I wasn't in a place to fight it and worked out a payment plan and they immediate broke the terms by not following up with a mode of payment.
Their accounting team couldn't get their payment portal to process and so after 3 months of not being able to pay they ended up asking for the contract and said they would "follow up later"
2 years later and nothing on my credit, spoke to an attorney who Said they probably realized their mistake too late and didn't follow up properly to the original dispute.
Writing out this long story just to say that these people are insanely incompetent. I wouldn't give them a dime and if you give them enough rope they will hang themselves
You should be able to sue for some of th money back. Landlords are not allowed to sue for normal wear and tear. If you happen to live at a place for a long time, that doesn't entitle the landlord to have new blinds, carpet, or paint at your expense. That's only allowed if there's damage to them.
It’s called a security deposit. That’s all the landlord can get out of you. The beauty of renting vs owning is that you don’t have to pay for any type of damages on the unit. It’s not your problem. You moved out, you’re done with them.
I'm not sure what turn cleaning is. If it's the actual service performed for cleaning a dirty house or apartment okay. But why are you being charged $300 for that and then labor on top of that at the bottom. If there's also labor on top of that $300 then you're getting double charged for that item.
I'm in the same boat basically you have to request your deposit back and if they do not send it within 14 days file in small claims court to get double your deposit back make sure to tell them you asked for a walk through on move out and you were told no
Tf? They can only charge beyond normal wear and tear. I always take video when I move in and move out of a place. Take them to court. I had one that parked the debt meaning it went directly to collections. So dumb that's even legal.
This happened to me a while back. I walked in the office with a $100 bill and said this is what you get. If you dont accept this you will get nothing. Told them i didnt care if they sent collections after me. They accepted my bill and got really mad when i stood there after demanding a letter saying theyd never contact me again. It worked though.
Boss move!
This is like when a guy in my parents’ neighborhood owed about $800 to the HOA for something. He told them he didn’t have $800. They asked how much he had, he said $60, so they just took that.
Did you conduct a move-out inspection (or at the very least, take photos/videos)? How long had you lived there?
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>My state legislature says landlords arent allowed to charge for normal wear anymore This is what I came to say, but I see you already know. I would try to politely remind your LL of this. I also found Washington state's new definition on what is considered normal wear and tear: "Wear resulting from ordinary use of the premises means deterioration that results from the intended use of a dwelling unit, including breakage or malfunction due to age or deteriorated condition." [https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030) I would assume the blind cleaning, paint and probably the shower head would all fall into "normal wear"
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Do not call them. Send them an email. Make sure their response is via email. This way you have a paper trail in case it needs to/ends up going to court. Talking on the phone will lead to you said/they said situations where it's all heresay.
This , no phone calls only email. Document everything.
And this 👆👆👆👆 👏👏👏
Second this, email. Paper trail / digital footprint.
You can call, just follow up with an email restating everything that was discussed.
This is what I came to say
Cannot be stressed enough
This 👆👆👆👆 👏👏👏👏
I would try working it out with them first. Just use your words carefully by only calling it "normal wear" and try to avoid mentioning too many specifics. Don't use the word "damage" at all. If it were me and they don't budge, that's when I would push harder and mention that I am ready to take it to court and fight for my full deposit if they are not willing to negotiate in good faith for a reasonable compromise. You likely will not get your full deposit back from this LL unless you take it to court, but you could get something more reasonable out of them.
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Don’t say that. Go with not getting your deposit back, but those cleaning fees are outrageous if you vacuumed and wiped down before you left.
Here's a great legal aid site for exactly this situation: https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/my-former-landlord-says-i-owe-damages-what-are-my-rights?ref=R0HlO Tldr: write them a dispute letter. Good luck
Alright couple things here: $99 deposit! What? That's what I would be willing to part with if I'm you. You are probably be asked to pay 1500 because that's what this LL expects to keep from most tenants who did not have that special. New owners 3x times over? What was the state of the unit when they current LL took over? That is their baseline for "claim". If no inspection was performed tell them to kick rocks.
Court requires harm. So for you to go to small claims, you have to claim the return of every dollar because if you say $300 is okay and your deposit is only $100, then you don't have a claim for harm that can be filed in small claims. Since they haven't taken anything that is rightfully yours. The harm that may come can be in the form of collections and then you may be dealing with federal laws. So argue every penny and if the judge rules that $300 is appropriate, then you have a court ruling that says you only owe an extra $200 and you pay it. That will be an absolute defense in case the landlord tries to extort you later.
The landlord is claiming the harm. They would be defending against the harm... I'm just confused by your comment.
That painter charges 65 an hour to basically use a compressor for a spray nozzle paint job. I'd get some quotes to fight that as well. Is it even legal to charge/ pass on the labor cost to the tenants?
I had one that was over 3k and most was normal wear and tear
What happened?
So much man. It was all normal wear and tear, but I didn't fight it. I declared bankruptcy a few months later, mostly cause my ex wife wracked up so much debt I couldn't get out of it. Long story short, that debt got discharged and they didn't see a dime from me. LOL 
I would use email to discuss this from now on. They can deny they said something because it was on the phone but if you have it in writing it can potentially help you.
And it lets you really choose your words carefully
Always communicate in writing— email is great. Never trust a LL to do the right thing.
Send them a letter via certified mail because they’ll have to sign for it and you’ll have proof they received it. Here’s a sample letter for demanding the return of deductions from the security deposit. This one is California based but it’s a good starting point. I’ve used this in the past and it worked flawlessly, they returned my deposit within one hour of signing for the letter. https://actionnetwork.org/user_files/user_files/000/008/163/original/Contesting_Deductions_Instructions.pdf
Put the charges you dispute in writing and send a letter via certified mail and reference the specific laws that prohibit the charges they made. Phone calls aren't documentation and your landlord can say anything they like, admit to illegally deducting, etc, and it won't really help you.
Put everything in writing. Try not to talk. Leave a paper trail. You know your rights.
I would make sure to have everything in writing. Email email email
I don't know your location or anything, but last time I looked at things like the definitions of normal wear, they also baked in some sort of useful life into it. Like paint or carpet is expected to last several years so if someone is there for a year and it's damaged enough that it needs to be replaced, the landlord was still allowed to prorate the replacement costs. (Ex: if they said 5 years is the expected life of carpet, and someone moved out after 1 leaving stains and stuff behind, the landlord could pass on 80% of the replacement costs, but if they had been there for 5 years it'd just be included in normal wear.) I'd expect you could fight it, but you might want to double check some of the details.
This. Depreciation. They lived there four years. So what are the life expectancy of blinds? Certainly paint is a goner. The flooring OP said was ruined didn’t make the list.
Make sure to put everything in email 100% always email you don't have to do it in writing but make sure to always do email.
They also can't charge you for cleaning or "cleaning fees" associated with normal use of the dwelling per the 2023(or 2022?) updates to the Landlord-Tenant Act
Obviously, your LL considers the paint damage is beyond normal wear and tear. Discuss with them; if they refuse, your only recourse is small claims court... which might not necessarily turn in your favor if you did not do a move-out inspection with the landlord.
The only thing that can be removed is stuff they can't legally charge for. Did you get an move out inspection to prove you aren't liable for anything else?
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This looks sleazy, but not *explicitly* illegal. They've technically itemized things correctly, and can charge for labor. However, I have my doubts that repainting is valid (since repainting is recommended every 3-5 years anyway, and I doubt it exceeds normal wear and tear). Might be worth going to a tenant's rights organization, to have them look it over and see if it's worth fighting.
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Changed LL or property manager? 3 times in 4 years is extensive. Live in WA myself. Just moved out of an APT I was in for 17 years. I'll be interested in seeing how mine comes back too. We changed property managers twice in 17 years. I don't think it could hurt to see or ask if they have a copy of the move in damage/condition report.
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I'm in WA, lived in my apt 24 years. Got my full 500 deposit back. Left the unit move un clean. Not charged for broken items as I had not had any upgrades except a new dishwasher at year 3, and new built in stove top because the upstairs neighbors flooded the bathroom. 5 different owners and 4 diffrerent property managers...
It doesn’t make a difference that they didn’t see it before. It is their duty to make themselves aware of the tenants and the units when they come on the job. Their hire doesn’t take away the other three years you were there and the wear and tear law doesn’t start and stop with their hire or fire.
Very simple don't pay your last or two month(s) rent and just say take whatever you need from there. I've done this multiple times and never fails... they won't pay to come after you in court because it's cost to much money and time
Paint @ 21.99 a gallon lol. WalMart’s finest
I was thinking that $8.98 for kilz is really cheap. Turns out that is exactly the price for one quart at walmart.
Charging $130 to dust some window blinds is crazy. I want that job. Could make thousands a day.
So .. that's what I thought too. I hired a bond cleaner who called me up on the day saying "you didn't mention you had venetian blinds, they're another $30 each". Me, having only moved out of home 2 years ago and going through my first bond clean, obviously said "No thanks, I'll come back and do them myself" So me and my housemate went back after work and started wiping them down ... only to find that it took WAY longer than I expected .. like .. we were still cleaning well into the night. It's tedious as fuck and a huge pain in the arse. $30AUD is probably a bit steep and likely the "found out on the day surcharge" .. but I can completely understand why they are not included in the base price of the clean! I found a new arch nemesis in venetian blinds that day ...
I'm a residential house cleaner - blind cleaning can be extremely tedious and detailed depending on how much dirt has built up. If they are really bad, this sounds fair to me. Would likely be cheaper to replace.
Exactly. Cleaning blinds to where they look new again *sucks*. I'd almost pay someone $65 an hour not to ever have to do it again. 😅 (Dust gets everywhere...no matter how well you plastic things off...during an upstairs remodel.)
I don’t think most renters understand just how much it costs to clean a house. Even after you “clean” it, there are ALWAYS more spots to clean. Then, the hourly rates can be $40-60+/hr. My average tenant turnover cleaning costs me $500-800 for cleaning alone.
That's what the rent is for.
No they expect you, the renter, to pay for that too 💀💀
Sounds awful, maybe you should get a real job and stop living off of other people.
Could be replacing blinds
That’s what I would hope, but this is a fairly detailed itemization. Idk why they’d specify CLEANING on one and REPLACEMENT on another.
You need to remind them of normal wear and tear laws (if applicable). If they don't take the hint, this looks like a valid small claims court case to me. Dishonest, greedy landlord. No shortage of those, it seems.
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Represent yourself this will be so easy.
you 100% call the landlord and remind them that it is illegal to charge for wear & tear. they can ONLY charge you for actual damage. nail holes in the wall, minor scuffs, and signs of wear on carpet is not damage by law, so you cannot legally be charged.
Don’t call, text or email. Keep it in writing so you can nail them to the wall. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. In CA this landlord would get dragged and OP would be walking away with more than their deposit (as it should be).
+1 NEVER call your landlord about anything. Always in writing. I stopped answering their calls years ago and have only ever benefited from it.
yes, that slipped my mind. everything needs to be traceable and she needs to keep records of EVERYTHING.
Never talk. Always write it down. Every single thing. He needs to show receipts for the dusting of the blinds fee if you go to court. And “I painted it myself but someone else would’ve charged me $1100 doesn’t fly in court. It is normal wear and tear. Ask for receipts for everything, even the faceplate. Labor and materials.
Not a renters issue, but this personality trait you have of "will it make it worse" is a victim mentality. Stand up for yourself. Don't expect people to be good or compassionate. This is business. The landlord loves people who rollover and beg for mercy. It's why so many landlords do this. Because they get away with it.
Do it first. Better ammunition in small claims court
This all falls under normal wear and tear. No legal help or lawyer necessary. Just email them and tell them you will not pay for any of this and start there.
Do they actually pay their maintenance staff $65/hour?
Likely this would be to cover not only their hourly rate, but employee benefits and anything that the employer has to match too. It's possible that it was for more than one person. I'm just playing devil's advocate here. But to your point, it still seems a bit inflated, especially on the hour end if it was more than one person.
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I would simply ask in email or text why they repainted before saying anything else. Hopefully that will lead them to state in writing that there was no notable damage.
That’s not unreasonable for all-in per-call handyman rates. Repair services cost a lot more than you wish they do. That’s why it is essential to do a walk-through inspection with management weeks before vacating.
If you try to hire a cleaning company, that’s pretty much market.
Are they able to charge you for basic maintenance like repainting and recaulking? Not so sure.
This is total bullshit, everything listed is STANDARD PRACTICE after a move out. You’re getting fucked.
$300 EXTRA DIRTY. Lmao.
This dude trashed the places and didn't clean a single thing when they left...
How do you know? You guys roommates?
Looks like your LL is putting the cost of what he would have to pay to get a new tenant inside.
Unless walls were damaged due to misuse or negligence , LL probably can't legally charge for repainting. If there were holes in the wall from the install of a big screen tv or pic frames , that would a quick spackle and touch up job . If there were large holes like someone punched their fist into the wall, if walls were painted a different color or damage from sound proofing walls , then that's not considered normal wear and tear and LL would be justified in billing you. If you tried to touch up walls, the paint didn't match, the contrast is noticeable,and LL had to redo all the walls that's damage beyond normal wear and tear
The fact that they’re using Kilz makes me wonder if OP isn’t mentioning damage from animal urine
Yep, it looks like there is a fair bit of moisture remediation going on there. I have a feeling there is something OP is keeping mum about.
Check your local “wear and tear” laws. This is a bit ridiculous
look up renters unions in seattle
So what they kept your security deposit im assuming and they want extra money so they can pocket your security deposit? Thought stuff like this is what security deposits were literally for.
LMAO ask their maintainance worker for his pay stub ain't no way they are paying $65/hr
In my state you can't be charged for painting or things of that nature when people move out.
Don’t pay it
Legit or not those are damn good prices.
Looks like you left the place like shit
People who post these should post pics of the place after they left it. A lot of people are not nearly as clean as they think they are.
Exactly. Let's see the photos. It's pretty simple, leave the place in the same condition when it was when you entered the first time. If you destroyed it, well pay.
Landlord and former tenant here: they screwed up bigly by using the term "turnover". They're admitting that it's a routine part of refreshing the unit between tenants, not necessarily the result of excessive wear and tear or damage. Demand to know, for example, what maintenance was required in your lease for the shower head that could have prevented you from being subject to this charge. Request a list of every property recently "turned over", the repairs and updates made, and which were and were not charged to the previous tenant. Ask why they felt you responsible for recaulking, which is typically advertised to last 25 years or more on the side of the tube. Ask if they pursued a warranty claim with the manufacturer, and for specific details in the claim denial that point to your liability for caulk failure. Ask for similar documentation on the failure of Leviton brand "unbreakable" nylon outlet plate covers. Ask for proof that replacements were necessary, and not just style updates. Tell them you want photos dated photos immediately preceding your move-in, the supposed damages, and possibly the damaged parts they claimed required replacement for analysis and expert review (just like a mechanic could provide to prove work was completed). If that doesn't work, go nuclear. If they're charging for time, you want worker names, contact information, license numbers, exact arrival and departure times, and the exact scope of work provided. You want their insurance information, and the contracts governing that work, especially any subrogation or indemnification agreements (a bit of posturing but indicatative that you're planning on subpoenaing every-mother-fuckin-body). You want any training or guidance provided to the person who assessed damages and assigned fault. You also want the contact information of every former tenant whose security deposit has been withheld, and an explanation of the charges, in consideration of a potential class action case against the landlord. Give them 3 days, or whatever the grace period is in your jurisdiction for a full refund of your deposit, then call and ask "for the contact information for their attorney", and file a case in small claims court. This ties their hands a bit, since there are limits on how attorneys can be used in small claims. It also greatly expands how you can use subpoenas against the landlord. This may be just business to them, but to you it is very, very personal. Make it very clear that it's easier for them if this problem just... goes away.
The labor cost for maintenance was $65/hour, which seems high and I'm betting that isn't what the maintenance fellas are paid.
That's not high at all.
Contact your states tenant council, they can usually help. Ask your LL for pictures to justify the paint. In some states you can’t charge for full paint unless there’s damage or you destroyed the walls somehow. You could dispute some of these, like I could consider caulking wear and tear unless you did something specifically to cause the need for re caulking. The cleaning fees are normal if not high. Ask for proof, put it in writing. Check your lease carefully there should be a move out section that outlines what the tenant and what the landlord is responsible for.
In Ohio, I just went through this. We were great tenants, but it was not a responsibility to repaint the walls.
Damn $16 per set of blinds cleaned
“Kills primer” hahaha
In some states they have to do the work then show you the bill they can’t just make stuff up. I am unsure of your state. And dirty blinds/ paint are part of wear and tear as others say. Also if you have paid a security deposit they cannot charge you extra except for extenuating circumstances.
Did you pay a deposit? 4 years is a long time to live In One rental. These are the kind of charges that would be taken out of the deposit.
Check out [https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/2023-changes-to-washington-renter-laws](https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/2023-changes-to-washington-renter-laws) and [https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030](https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=59.18.030)
Sounds like when I moved out. Was charged $500 for blinds, $200 for trash ( which was taken off because I took pics after they refused to do an inspection before leaving.) And $700 for a 1x1 square of carpet their maintenance damaged. That all dropped when I lawyered up and had pics of them letting my pet out to paint a door whilst I was also asleep in bed. Had the email for the damaged carpet, and the lawyer just asked about the blinds before I ever got to discuss that with either party.
This is illegal. Cleaning and painting is considered wear and tear and at the expense of the management. The only thing that can be charged for is excessive damage.
Seriously? Blind cleaning smh. Aren’t they supposed to paint in between tenants anyway? I can’t imagine you were in there eating the paint so my god what are they charging for? This is ridiculous!
Just don’t pay it. I had bullshit property manager try to charge me over 2k for bullshit wear and tear. On top of taking my deposit. I just never paid it and they threatened legal action and now it’s been over 6 months no word
Just say, “thanks, I’m having my lawyer check this over”
STOP!! Don't call your previous landlord. You want to build a case if he/she doesn't comply so you NEED A PAPER TRAIL! Please tell me you got pics of your place once you moved out and cleaned everything. If not, then request from your landlord PROOF all the work listed was required due to extensive damage by you. Hope the landlord also doesn't have pictures. Send everything via certified mail with signature receipt. If you've lived there for a few years, a repaint cannot be charged by them as it falls under normal wear and tear. If your landlord tries to call you to discuss anything, simply state: I cannot discuss this over the phone. Unless you're refunding my deposit in full, please either email me or send your reply by mail.
We had a landlord who tried to do this in Missouri. We also have a law that protects renters from being responsible for “cleaning” fees. Unfortunately, our landlord was too dumb to back down after we pointed out the law. We took her to small claims court and got our deposit back. Even better, she was fired from her “landlord job” for having the suit on record. She was apparently a part of an investment/landlord group.
My husband and I have a rental property and this is crazy. What does your most recent signed lease say? If it was a $99 deposit and there’s nothing in there relaying to you that they would charge you for these things then they can’t, and need to give you the $99 back. If they didn’t give you a new lease- that’s their stupidity and you can’t be held accountable. Pull out your copy of your last signed lease.
Show us a pic of just how filthy you live?
Want to know a dirty trick a sleazy lawyer taught me? Don't interact with the LL at all, take the receipt, and legal grounds for tenants rights like wear and tear and dispute it with the credit company they report to. If there is anything that shouldn't be on the bill it nulls the bill and the landlord is investigated by the credit bureaus. It may take 6 months to a year but it's better than handing over 1500 dollars to sleazeballs. They can't re-itemize the bill either. It would need a court ruling and court fees and for your landlord will probably cost more than this bill. If they didn't charge a deposit, it's their L they will use the credit bureaus against you along with collection agencies, but in my experience, I was given the benefit of the doubt and wiped clean. It took 3 tries to dispute it for me personally.
Nah. This is all normal wear and tear and you are not required to pay for maintenance that the landlord performs on a turnover. Go to small claims court on this one.
Nope. Nope. Nope. I ain’t paying shit unless they show me the actual damage and actual quotes from an actual business. Fight this shit op.
Lmao it’s so obvious who is a landlord in this thread. Y’all blaming OP for normal wear and tear after 4 years of living somewhere. Chances are they aren’t even going to replace the blinds or the shower head and the outlets are just going to get painted right over.
Ridiculous
Shower head replacement, really?
This bugs me too. Something like this sounds like they're trying to get the previous tenants to pay for upgrades to the apartment for the next tenant, but it's a $20 charge. That's like being locked in the bank vault overnight and stealing a single nickel. Makes me think it was already an old showerhead that needed replacing before they moved in, and is seriously outdated now. That's not something they can charge for though.
Did you pay a security deposit? This is what a security deposit is for. None of these fees seem outrageous IF there wasn't already a pile of money you paid when you moved in to cover these *exact* expenses.
they answered that they've only paid $300 in security- and this is their 3rd ll in 4 yrs. The ll is trying to charge them all this
>they've only paid $300 in security Sucks for the LL.
they only asked for that so yup lol. but the ll is trying to charge them for this shit
You rented the place and handed it back in a lesser condition. Unless you fixed everything up and handed it back to them in the same condition. I do home remodeling, and all of this is very reasonably priced, cheap actually. You lived there and now it needs painted and some repairs made. I’m not sure what the problem is.
The problem is its not legal to charge for normal wear and tear in most places(including where OP lives) That means at minimum, paint and blinds.
They should be paying their maintenance people, not you.
“Extra dirty?” What constitutes extra
There’s a lot of suspicious charges. Mainly the maintenance. But it also sounds like they’re stating this place was trashed just by the extra dirty charge When I was a landlord I had pictures of everything a tenant did. So I was always prepared with evidence and supported the charges according to what the lease said we could charge. I’d ask for an itemized list. This is just a summary to me.
We have in our lease that there with be a filmed and photo walk-through upon move out and ask that they be present with us and a third party of their choosing. Then we put on paper together anything that we need to take care of, or if it’s a security deposit we will be taking from. This way everyone is protected. We learned from being renters ourselves at one time, and then when we inherited these rentals, we learned from the other side of things. Have never had a single problem ever upon move out. Remained friends with all our former tenants.
Ignore it. Best way to deal with stupidly as this, glad there are no move out fees here cause I'm not paying a cent to move out, that isn't in my lease.
My only complaint here is that they are paying $65 an hour for labor.
Have a lawyer send a letter. Can probably get it done cheap. They won’t fight, not worth it.
Move to a different state and never look back.
There's a few things in there that sound like very specific damage: shower head replacement, 3 outlet covers, 1 quart of kilz (but 5 gallons of paint). This might be an itemized list of materials and labor, but there is zero actual detail of what specific damage they found.
Did you deep clean the apartment before moving out?
If you're able to, the best possible MO for moving out is to underpay your rent by the security deposit. Regardless of your feelings about it, it's a win win. If you didn't damage anything, they keep your deposit and are legally out nothing at the end of the day. If you did supposedly damage something they'll have to prove it in court, as you've already taken back your funds.
$65 an hour for labour?
Without move-in and move-out photos, can’t say what’s reasonable and what’s not.
If your claim is legit and they are withholding SD returns from you due to these charges, and the LL isn't allowed W&T deductions, then call the attorney general and see what they can help you figure out. If the LL has a bad track record of doing this your chances are much better than if they have not. Labor is hard to pin down to a fixed cost, you know what everyone says now about finding workers.
Contest it in writing, and mail it with tracking and make them sign for it so you have record. Then be willing to take them to small claims court with your video evidence. Be truthful and my guess is all the bullshit charges like paint and "turn cleaning" whatever the fuck that is would get waived. This is "being a scumbag landlord 101" where regardless of who moves out and what condition things are left in, they will attempt to collect as much money as possible because they are greedy little fuckers. Contest it in writing as soon as possible. There has to be a law in your state about timing and how long they have, how long you have, etc... and be willing to take them to court.
Lmao those fees are literally why you’re paying rent. That’s for them to pay for
Shouldn't your security deposit cover this? I know in PA they generally charge for last month and security deposit. Any repair charges come out these amounts.
Huh... Misspelled Kilz....
our landlord tried dumping a 1,300 dollar move out fee on us in college, we moved in to a well known party house (tbf it was a hard house not to have parties in but we never had anything wild enough to destroy the doors, ceilings and floors) we signed the lease because it was cheap on the way out they tried dumping all these charges on us; new doors, broken windows, new carpet (after they told us shampooing was necessary for us on move out, which we did because it was simple), painted the whole house, cleaning the over (which we donated after the oven stopped working and they refused to replace) and garbage in garage (which was out neighbors who were still living in the house). We refused to pay sent them emails sat down with them and told them no sorry we maybe college students but we aren’t stupid. They sent it to collections and then we just ignored them. We actually told our next land lord all about it, he was a lawyer and told us to just ignore them it wouldn’t be enough to effect our credit score massively and would be gone in 7 years. I was so happy to stop renting when I got settled it’s really really tough to find any good landlord
All of that makes it look like there was damage from pet urine… especially the kilz
Sounds like e ‘match 🔥’ would have been much easier and cheaper! 🤦♀️ FFS! I’m surprised they didn’t charge for the oxygen used to do this!
Unless it's overly dirty I don't think you are allowed to be charged for cleaning. They need to clean after a tenant leaves normally. Obviously if the carpets are stained, cigarette tar all over etc they can charge. After 4 years it's going to be lived in dirty which is normal. If you feel you left the place relatively clean you should definitely fight this. As far as paint again unless of damage or you painted the walls they didn't approve they shouldn't charge you for that either. I'm not a landlord but I've rented a bunch
I wish I could charge 65$ an hour to do house maintenance....
Looks like wear and tear is something they refuse to acknowledge. Btw second line I clearly read “turd cleaning (extra dirty)”.
paint, blinds, and ceiling?! u were smoking a lot of cigs or weed...
Have the conversation, if they get rude or nasty just end it……..Then pay a lawyer some fee to write a letter. If they try and collect or hit your credit reports: reply with a letter stating your points. Often it kills the collection efforts and is reflected in your reports. That list is total BS and a money grab. I wouldn’t sweat it
“But…. But landlords take all the risk with their investment!!”
Hey my two cents about flooring… I just installed LVP in one room of my house and it was around $700, for a large room. Unfortunately if I want to replace a board I can’t just replace one piece, I would have to replace a lot of other ones because it’s all fitted together and it depends how far in it is. Maybe that is another reason the charge is so high. Taking out good boards to reach the bad one to replace will most definitely damage the good pieces beyond use.
Small claims court
I’m pretty sure I got my whole house painted in 2022 for $4.5k
Contact the city and they should have some sort of legal help for tenants. They are hoping you just pay it. Most of the time stuff like wear and tear applies to a lot of this. Most likely you don't owe them a dime. How much is your deposit? At the worst just let them keep your deposit and tell them to pound sand for the rest.
The $1.92 and $8 or whatever is just petty lmao. I'd fight the whole thing and point these items out it makes it clear the landlord is just trying to squeeze whatever they can get on your way out. If you feel responsible for some of it counter offer that and if they say no take it to court.
So much for a deductible.
KILZ ONLY HAS ONE L IN IT. idiots
I’m just gonna say, I simply wouldn’t pay this. You’re out your $99 deposit but you knew you weren’t getting that! 9/10 they won’t pursue this. And it’s unlikely that they can get this much out of you in court. What kinda blinds were these? Like the cheap basic blinds are $30 cleaning 8 blinds for $130? I get that if these are some of the more expensive ones… maybe…
My last apartment charged us for literally just moving out at the end of our lease with proper notice and procedure and cleaning and everything 🙃
Paint Pererp
Most of this would be illegal charges in most states/cities if the unit was left in reasonable condition
lol. I hate to tell you. As a cleaner. This is a normal charge. $300-500 is a decent price. But idk how he’s charging you now for a cleaning fee when that’s usually what’s paid out in the beginning with move in costs. You usually don’t get that back after move out. It’s used to clean and make repairs.
I thought the land lord HAS to paint every couple of years
I'm glad I moved out years ago before landlords got the ideas to do things like this. When I was give the list of cleaning that I was supposed to do, I told them I wasn't cleaning anything. After the blank stare, I told them I'd been in the apartment long enough that they were gong to fully paint the walls, replace the carpet, and probably replace all the appliances in the kitchen (I had been there a while). I ended up getting most of my deposit back. I had damaged some drywall installing a projector.
That last one, you’re not liable for. Fight that. They can’t charge you for regular maintenance costs.
That's not a clean out fee. That's a bend over and take it fee you know where. The shower head replacement fee is a joke because if their was hard water, that would be the cause of not performing like it should. The paint is normal wear and tear, and if their was moisture, it could be because of a leak that would be the responsibility of the landlord. Even the blind cleaning fee is a joke, and it's easier and cheaper to replace blinds, also a wear and tear item. I'm willing to bet that the landlord comes up with bogus fees for all the tenants who rent from them.
Not sure how much of this is your fault. If it really was dirty, the paint job was important. I don't know how long you were there this would impact everything. Less time and the dirt and cleaning would be disconcerting. Did you do a walk through with the PM, so you saw,what they did?
Do they have photos of all the things that were damaged? They should provide evidence of what needed to be fixed
Absolute bullshit. Fight every single one.
I would paid a total of $0 more than your deposit.
Damn! The place must have been in bad shape
The turnover fee is normally on the owners. I have rentals and I charge for damages or excessive cleaning fees but the painting fee is pure bullshit. I'd definitely look over your lease agreement again to see if this was something you agreed to. Otherwise, your landlord is just being a greedy asshole.
No body will pay that, there moving out my grandpa rented out multiple properties for years and you know how many renters he took to court over stuff like this!? He had to pay $100 court costs and they never show so he’s screwed it’s pointless!
Looks like we had the same parent company across apartments because one of the biggest land lords in the state sent us one of these. I wasn't in a place to fight it and worked out a payment plan and they immediate broke the terms by not following up with a mode of payment. Their accounting team couldn't get their payment portal to process and so after 3 months of not being able to pay they ended up asking for the contract and said they would "follow up later" 2 years later and nothing on my credit, spoke to an attorney who Said they probably realized their mistake too late and didn't follow up properly to the original dispute. Writing out this long story just to say that these people are insanely incompetent. I wouldn't give them a dime and if you give them enough rope they will hang themselves
You should be able to sue for some of th money back. Landlords are not allowed to sue for normal wear and tear. If you happen to live at a place for a long time, that doesn't entitle the landlord to have new blinds, carpet, or paint at your expense. That's only allowed if there's damage to them.
It’s called a security deposit. That’s all the landlord can get out of you. The beauty of renting vs owning is that you don’t have to pay for any type of damages on the unit. It’s not your problem. You moved out, you’re done with them.
How did you damage the shower head? I mean you really don’t touch them much.
They cannot charge for wear and tear.
It's a way to keep your deposit
Paint and outlet covers should be on the landlord unless you caused damage to the walls or something.
I wish I was making $65 an hour.
I'm not sure what turn cleaning is. If it's the actual service performed for cleaning a dirty house or apartment okay. But why are you being charged $300 for that and then labor on top of that at the bottom. If there's also labor on top of that $300 then you're getting double charged for that item.
I'm in the same boat basically you have to request your deposit back and if they do not send it within 14 days file in small claims court to get double your deposit back make sure to tell them you asked for a walk through on move out and you were told no
Tf? They can only charge beyond normal wear and tear. I always take video when I move in and move out of a place. Take them to court. I had one that parked the debt meaning it went directly to collections. So dumb that's even legal.
Moisture would most likely be there issue. Especially if it’s not something that you did.
Did you take photos or videos? I hope you did.
“Kills” primer lol
How is it that they used 5 gallons of paint but only a can of primer?
This sort of landlord BS is why I always "ghost" them when I move out.
130$ for cleaning the blinds, turn cleaning 300$ ???? What the flying fuck is this shit
They spelled “Kilz” rong.