[mitchmiller9]

NLV Gal:

Careful doing unauthorized updates in your apartment. If you paint your cabinets, the landlord has the right to sue you when you leave if you don't return them to their original finish. Some landlords would use the opportunity to attempt to sue you to completely fund the purchase of new cabinets. They will get a judgement against you in court... then good luck trying to rent another apartment until you settle it.

When I was looking for an apartment in LV, I noticed one place that had good prices. However after investigating, I found tenants were being sued left and right by the landlord. The landlord had bought the building while the tenants were in there. The apartments were run down (according to the tenants). When they left, the new owner took them to court for thousands of dollars worth of repairs for stuff that was already damaged when they moved in. Technically there's supposed to be a move-in checklist to protect the tenants.

[lvmensch]

Originally Posted by mitchmiller9

NLV Gal:

Careful doing unauthorized updates in your apartment. If you paint your cabinets, the landlord has the right to sue you when you leave if you don't return them to their original finish. Some landlords would use the opportunity to attempt to sue you to completely fund the purchase of new cabinets. They will get a judgement against you in court... then good luck trying to rent another apartment until you settle it.

When I was looking for an apartment in LV, I noticed one place that had good prices. However after investigating, I found tenants were being sued left and right by the landlord. The landlord had bought the building while the tenants were in there. The apartments were run down (according to the tenants). When they left, the new owner took them to court for thousands of dollars worth of repairs for stuff that was already damaged when they moved in. Technically there's supposed to be a move-in checklist to protect the tenants.

A wise tenant always does a video or photo tour on moving in. Updating a rented unit without permission is a violation of the contract and grounds for evicting the renter. Damages or charging to restore to initial conditions are not automatic. The tenant may well have a defense that the place was improved.
the normal problem is that the tenant does not defend and the LL gets a default judgement. The tenants who defend however will do better.

The key defense is to have a proper set of photos and descriptions when you move in.

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by lvmensch

A wise tenant always does a video or photo tour on moving in. Updating a rented unit without permission is a violation of the contract and grounds for evicting the renter. Damages or charging to restore to initial conditions are not automatic. The tenant may well have a defense that the place was improved.
the normal problem is that the tenant does not defend and the LL gets a default judgement. The tenants who defend however will do better.

The key defense is to have a proper set of photos and descriptions when you move in.

Yeah, I did all the pre-move in documentation. Neighbors around here make all sorts of changes. Besides it would gist me all of six hudred bucks to replace the existing MDF.

[TexasRedneck]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

Yeah, I did all the pre-move in documentation. Neighbors around here make all sorts of changes. Besides it would gist me all of six hudred bucks to replace the existing MDF.

Except YOU wouldn't be allowed to do it. The LL has the right to restore the property with the contractor of THEIR choosing. He'd also be able to recover damages from lost rental income while the repairs are being made. Absent HIS approval of any changes you make, the court WILL find that you have altered his property without authorization, and he'll be able to recover damages, no matter what you think of the present conditions. YOU rented it in that condition.

[lvmensch]

Originally Posted by TexasRedneck

Except YOU wouldn't be allowed to do it. The LL has the right to restore the property with the contractor of THEIR choosing. He'd also be able to recover damages from lost rental income while the repairs are being made. Absent HIS approval of any changes you make, the court WILL find that you have altered his property without authorization, and he'll be able to recover damages, no matter what you think of the present conditions. YOU rented it in that condition.

I doubt very much that you will find any such provisions in a normal lease. Even if the lease requires restoration to initial condition it requires that the tenant get it done...not that the LL gets to bill the tenant.

The LL might be able to bill for repair cost and loss of income if the tenant does not fix prior to the lease expiring. But he would have to go to court to do so. And in general it is not rational. For instance it is practically impossible to sue an out of state tenant in smalls claims court. Go into District Court and it gets expensive real fast.

Be careful here. These are state law things that vary widely. NV is LL friendly mostly but not entirely. A careful tenant can protect him or her self. There are unscrupulous LLs that try to take advantage of tenants. But they can be defeated if the tenant is careful and reasonable.

[NLVgal]

[foundapeanut]

If you are improving, get in writing that its OK with landlord. Include what is going to be done. Who you are going to use, only licensed. If you are going to be reasonable and NOT do anything weird like do the entire apartment in a star wars theme. I can't imagine a reasonable landlord having an issue.

Its what we did when we owned property.