$200 for cleaning charges?!

[Hopes]

Send it certified mail.

It's the only way you can provide the magistrate with proof he received the letter.

Plus, he'll know you're serious if he receives it certified.

[waterdummy]

Thanks again Hopes, you've been a great help.

[Bong477]

Do whatever you want but $200 cleaning fee for a cat is reasonable, if cleaning was actually done.

[waterdummy]

I've had my cats through multiple moves/apartments and this is the first time we were actually charged. In all of our previous apartments we received our full deposit back other than a miscellaneous charge, which was minimal. That's part of the reason this thread was made.

I take it you haven't read through anything else in the thread to see where the other issues lie?

[cheezit34141988]

Sounds like you left your place a mess - I've never left anything in an apartment anyone would have needed multiple garbage bags to carry out.

If all you're disputing is the cat hair fine, but I'd collect $200 for everything else just from what they said haha.

[waterdummy]

Originally Posted by dtrtrggr13

Sounds like you left your place a mess - I've never left anything in an apartment anyone would have needed multiple garbage bags to carry out.

If all you're disputing is the cat hair fine, but I'd collect $200 for everything else just from what they said haha.

Not sure why I feel compelled to defend myself here, but some of the things that our ex-landlord listed are things he cannot charge for or use against a tenant. Such as chipped or marked paint on the walls and marks from moving a fridge and stove in and out of a room.

And as I stated, I've never left a place a mess before, which is why we took pictures after our cleanup. I'd be more than happy to present them if it would stop any accusational tones.

Furthermore, the biggest thing that has been the issue has been the violation of our tenant rights, which is why this thread was initiated.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by waterdummy

Not sure why I feel compelled to defend myself here, but some of the things that our ex-landlord listed are things he cannot charge for or use against a tenant. Such as chipped or marked paint on the walls and marks from moving a fridge and stove in and out of a room.

And as I stated, I've never left a place a mess before, which is why we took pictures after our cleanup. I'd be more than happy to present them if it would stop any accusational tones.

Furthermore, the biggest thing that has been the issue has been the violation of our tenant rights, which is why this thread was initiated.

I thinkt he problem people reading this thread have is that you didn't deny that there was two garbage bags of stuff left in your apartment. (See your previous post below.) That's not properly vacating the apartment. You're not supposed to leave anything behind.

Originally Posted by waterdummy

Thanks for the replies so far. We've been talking back and fourth via e-mail and when we asked him for an itemized deduction list, the only thing he would tell us is that he took out 2 trash bags. I find it hard to believe that a trash bag is worth $100 between the bag and labor, so we're going to ask again for a more detailed list.

[cheezit34141988]

I agree the lack of followup, excuses, etc from your landlord and the issues arising as a tenant is cause for complaint and possible legal ramifications to allow you to get your whole deposit back.

I'm just saying, I've seen people get a lot more taken out of their deposit for a lot less.

[Bong477]

Originally Posted by waterdummy

I've had my cats through multiple moves/apartments and this is the first time we were actually charged. In all of our previous apartments we received our full deposit back other than a miscellaneous charge, which was minimal. That's part of the reason this thread was made.

I take it you haven't read through anything else in the thread to see where the other issues lie?

No, I read the whole thread. Doesn't sound like your landlord did anything obviously wrong (especially considering we are only getting your side of the story), aside from taking a couple extra days to get you your deposit back. Imo... BFD. Mandatory cleaning fees for renters with pets are fairly standard. $200 is in the right ballpark. Just because you haven't faced them before doesn't mean they are not common.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by Bong477

No, I read the whole thread. Doesn't sound like your landlord did anything obviously wrong (especially considering we are only getting your side of the story), aside from taking a couple extra days to get you your deposit back. Imo... BFD. Mandatory cleaning fees for renters with pets are fairly standard. $200 is in the right ballpark. Just because you haven't faced them before doesn't mean they are not common.

I don't know how the $10 extra monthly fee was worded in the lease, but I think it's reasonable to think that it was intended to cover these sorts of expected costs related to pets.

aside from taking a couple extra days to get you your deposit back. Imo... BFD.

I would base this off of how the landlord treated me during my stay. If the rent check being a day or two late or honestly lost in the mail resulted in pestering calls and a late fee, I'd treat him the same way about the refund. If the landlord was more easy going about stuff, I'd cut him some slack as well.