how do you dispute outrageous apartment move out fees (Houston: renters, home)

[elnina]

Maybe next time you can try to clean stains and repair damages before you move out, that would greatly reduce the amount of money the apartment management will charge you when you move out. To prevent soiling in the future, a cheap rug on the carpet might also be of some help.

[wheretogo]

When we were renewing our lease after the 4th year, apartment offered carpet replacement, a $200 gift card and a vacuum cleaner. I declined the carpet replacement because we were planning to move out in 6 months and my toddlers would have messed up the carpet in that timeframe. I asked the service manager to make a note of that and NOT to charge us anytime they replace the carpet in that unit. They did not bother me with the carpet when we moved out.. (Though there are some other things which I am still fighting with them)

[jaydes]

Depending on how long you had the lease, they should just replace the carpet regardless of stains. Most complexes do have cleaning for your carpet through out your lease, people should use this to keep down on stains. But all that being said,i have personal experience with stained carpet and told no deposit needed to clean due to the fact they automatically change carpet out after certain amount of time for next tenant.

[Grunn]

If I had some deadbeat wrecking my property I'd nail them to the wall. Shame that isn't possible literally.

Being a landlord is hard work because not everyone is the type of tenant one would be oneself.

I had some ***** tenant install a water meter in the middle of the living room of one of my properties to 'get back at me'. Sadly for her I had it removed and spent a great deal of time and effort destroying her credit and dragging her through the courts.

[jimmyev]

Take some time, spend $40 and make them pay a lawyer to go to small claims court. Even if you don't win, you'll probably cost the corp. more than they're going to get from you. Most have to fly lawyers down from Dallas.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by jimmyev

Take some time, spend $40 and make them pay a lawyer to go to small claims court. Even if you don't win, you'll probably cost the corp. more than they're going to get from you. Most have to fly lawyers down from Dallas.

They don't have to do that - the manager will just go to court with the pictures of the damage and the carpet invoice. Ta Da - they win. They don't need a lawyer - and if they did, we do have lawyers here in Houston, most likely on retainer for them.

The manager will consider the time in court to be part of the job. The tenant, on the other hand, will have to take time off.

I think they did prorate the carpet's expected years of life - you can't replace carpet for that small amount of money. Put yourself in the landlord's shoes for 5 minutes. You have decent carpet in a rental unit. A tenant moves in, and in a fairly short time period, renders that capet unusable for the next tenant. What do you do?

Carpet stains aren't an unavoidable fact of life - I had a toddler on very pale carpet and it wasn't stained. He was over 7 when we went to wood floors, and only because we wanted them - the carpet looked pretty good.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by Grunn

If I had some deadbeat wrecking my property I'd nail them to the wall. Shame that isn't possible literally.

Being a landlord is hard work because not everyone is the type of tenant one would be oneself.

I had some ***** tenant install a water meter in the middle of the living room of one of my properties to 'get back at me'. Sadly for her I had it removed and spent a great deal of time and effort destroying her credit and dragging her through the courts.

Why did the water company go along with that?

[kmalone4]

elnina brought up a good point. Toddlers wreck things ~ even with their parents watching them like hawks. If you are living in an apartment, go ahead and put an area rug down in the kid-friendly areas that are carpeted.

When we moved in our current home, I promptly put down flooring in the boys' play areas.

I know this is a "locking the barn door after the animals have escaped" bit of advice, but it may save you next time around.

My parents rent their home out back home and these things really do add up. $450 to replace the carpet really isn't unreasonable. I think you would have a difficult time fighting it in court and I'm sure your time and energy can be better spent on other things. I can see the frustration from your point of view, but I also understand the charges. My advice: pay the fee and use area rugs in the future.

[Grunn]

Originally Posted by cheryjohns

Why did the water company go along with that?

As that's the law in England; my point in relation to this thread being that the Landord is often the victim in these scenarios wherever it may be.

[cheryjohns]

Originally Posted by Grunn

As that's the law in England; my point in relation to this thread being that the Landord is often the victim in these scenarios wherever it may be.

Certainly not arguing that fact.

I am still wondering how I can replace a lot of carpet for mere $450. That's a bargain. They gave a big proration. An unethical landlord would have charged him for the entire bill (as they should have done had he moved in on new carpet). Like divertodd and tstone mentioned, if you cause the damage, prepare to pay the price. Landlors weren't put on earth to enable you.