Questions about Rental (Austin: rental car, home, tenants)

[cub77cub]

OK, we have not rented in over 30 years! We took a 6 month lease when we moved to Austin. Now, we have bought a house. I have a couple questions for those of you in property mgmt. Can the landlord charge you for routine carpet cleaning if it is not in the lease agreement?? The rental carpet was stained when we moved in, and it looks the same now (no new stains). We moved out on 2/11, but we paid rent until 2/15. Some guy showed up on 2/12 to clean carpets (we didn't know about it) and now she wants to charge us $200 for cleaning a small living room and four bedrooms. The agreement stated "reasonably clean" and it was left the same as when we moved in. The only exception was we did not run the cleaning cycle on the stove because it causes the fire alarm to sound off. She wants another $125 for cleaning.

[Trainwreck20]

I am not a landlord, but I suspect that 'turn-around' cleaning should not be your responsibility. Usually, there is a walk through when you leave and the mgmt and you should work out what needs to be done. Theoretically, this is done with your move-in inspection sheet in hand. Personally, it sounds like the landlord is trying to gouge you. I am not sure how they can charge you for things they cannot prove needed doing (especially the carpet).

As for cost: the cost of cleaning the oven sounds a little outrageous. I have always cleaned the oven before I left (w/o using a cleaning cycle due to similar problems), but I can't imagine how that runs to $125 unless you had some kind of biological disaster in there. The carpet cleaning sounds like a 'typical' cleaning if you do not try to keep the cost down. I would guess that property mgmt is more interested in speed and reliability than price or quality....especially if they think they are going to pass the cost on.

[austin-steve]

Can the landlord charge you for routine carpet cleaning if it is not in the lease agreement?

The question is, can you successfully challenge the charge and win in JP Court. We tell tenants that we expect the home returned to us in the same condition as it was received. Since we move all tenants in on to a professionally cleaned carpet, we want it back that way, and we write it into the lease that the cost will be deducted after move-out. Been doing it that way since the early 1990's with no problems from any tenant.

We moved out on 2/11, but we paid rent until 2/15.

When did you return your keys? That would be the surrender date. Once you surrender the property, you no longer have possession no matter when you paid your rent through.

Some guy showed up on 2/12 to clean carpets (we didn't know about it) and now she wants to charge us $200 for cleaning a small living room and four bedrooms.

$200 is high unless there was extra work needed for stains or if you had pets.

The agreement stated "reasonably clean" and it was left the same as when we moved in. The only exception was we did not run the cleaning cycle on the stove because it causes the fire alarm to sound off. She wants another $125 for cleaning.

The best thing you can do is call the Austin Tenant's Council and they will guide you through the steps to follow if you believe that deposits have been wrongfully withheld.
Austin Tenants’ Council/Austin Tenants’ Council

Essentially, you have to send a 10 day Demand Letter by Certified Mail outlining the amounts wrongfully withheld, and the fact that if you don't receive the funds within 10 days, you will pursue remedy via JP Court. Make sure you identify the proper landlord (i.e. - it will be thrown out by the judge if you don't properly name the defendant. ATC can help you better understand what this means)

If you do have to take the landlord to JP Court, you have to prove that you were over charged or charged inappropriately. This means more than just standing there and saying "they charged me too much". Again, ATC can help you.

Steve

[cub77cub]

Originally Posted by austin-steve

The question is, can you successfully challenge the charge and win in JP Court. We tell tenants that we expect the home returned to us in the same condition as it was received. Since we move all tenants in on to a professionally cleaned carpet, we want it back that way, and we write it into the lease that the cost will be deducted after move-out. Been doing it that way since the early 1990's with no problems from any tenant.

When did you return your keys? That would be the surrender date. Once you surrender the property, you no longer have possession no matter when you paid your rent through.

$200 is high unless there was extra work needed for stains or if you had pets.

The best thing you can do is call the Austin Tenant's Council and they will guide you through the steps to follow if you believe that deposits have been wrongfully withheld.
Austin Tenants’ Council/Austin Tenants’ Council

Essentially, you have to send a 10 day Demand Letter by Certified Mail outlining the amounts wrongfully withheld, and the fact that if you don't receive the funds within 10 days, you will pursue remedy via JP Court. Make sure you identify the proper landlord (i.e. - it will be thrown out by the judge if you don't properly name the defendant. ATC can help you better understand what this means)

If you do have to take the landlord to JP Court, you have to prove that you were over charged or charged inappropriately. This means more than just standing there and saying "they charged me too much". Again, ATC can help you.

Steve

Thank you for the advice. My point in regard to the carpet is that we did not surrender keys. When we went over to the house, the landlord's friend had the entire carpet wet. We were unaware that she was having someone clean the carpet. We had not even discussed it. The price is outlandish because this is not a professional carpet cleaning company. There were no stains on the carpet, except those that were present upon move in. I have documented these from our initial walk-through. The landlord is inexperienced, and had a terrible situation with her first tenant (the one prior to us) who trashed the place and did not pay her a dime. Some don't realize that owning a rental property is a huge undertaking. Hence, the need for property mgmt.

[jwb123]

Can the landlord charge you for routine carpet cleaning if it is not in the lease agreement??

we want it back that way, and we write it into the lease

I think that is key here. If it was not in your lease that you would be charged extra for carpet cleaning, I don't think it's appropriate for your landlord to charge that, or for you to pay it!

When we left our rental, we cleaned it, as I would clean my home (spotless kitchens, bathrooms, vaccumed floors, washed tile, cleaned any handprints off windows, etc) and that is it. That's what I consider to be "reasonably clean" and anything else (normal paint touch up needs, etc) should be considered wear and tear.

The agreement stated "reasonably clean" and it was left the same as when we moved in.

You should be fine then.

[Angelique walker]

did you paid a deposit when you arrive in the first place ?

if yes do you have back ?

if you did not then dont give anymore money.