Badly need help!!!! Landlord wants to keep my security deposit. (Pittsburgh: hardwood floors, apartment)

[ElijahKhalil]

Per PA law, the landlord has to return the security deposit to the tenant within 30 days in full or whatever is left of it plus itemized list of damages/charges. Left the apartment even cleaner than it was and in a much better condition but landlord is deducting more than $700 from my deposit. Landlord gave me an itemized list for deductions. I wonder if it is legal to charge cleaning and repairs even if they were not actually done? Should the cleaning and repairs be done within the 30 day time-frame? What landlord provided me were just estimates and upon investigation I have found out that there were no cleaning or repairs done after all. Landlord obviously wants just to keep my money.

[Hopes]

Call

Neighborhood Legal Services
928 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3799
(412) 255-6700

You can handle this yourself, but they can push you in the right direction.

I'd send the landlord a letter disputing his claim and demanding refund within 15 days.

If he doesn't refund or respond, go to the magistrate's office for where you rented the apartment and file the appropriate paperwork.

The office staff at the magistrate's officed will assist you by giving you the proper forms.

To be honest, you really don't have much of a case if you don't have proof of the condition you left the apartment.

Next time, make sure you take pictures before you move in and after you move out.

[ElijahKhalil]

Hi Hopes! Thanks for your reply. Called neighborhood legal services but they said I am not qualified for their free legal service. I tried to call the Office of the Attorney General too. They sent me a booklet where I could read on tenants' rights. But it doesn't say if the landlord should provide receipts for whatever cleaning or repairs done. How will I know if he really had cleaning and repairs done and just wants to keep my money. What he gave me were just estimates. They were quite high and unreasonable. Again, thanks Hopes for taking time to help me.

[Hopes]

I guess I forgot to mention that you need to lie and say you're poor when you call neighborhood legal services.

You really just need to pull information from the heads, not get them to represent you.

Let me see what I can dig up regarding your question.

I'm no lawyer, but I'll try to help you find information!

Give me a few minutes.

[ElijahKhalil]

Yes, I guess I should have taken photos when we left the apartment. But I have witnesses coz I had a number of people who helped me move out.

[pic-chic]

Here's the only reference I could find - Pennsylvania Security Deposits
It has a link towards the bottom about what is considered wear and tear and also has a number for the AG's office.

[Hopes]

Good catch, pic-chic.

Waldorfmom, you might have a chance if his list contains things that are considered reasonable wear and tear.

Here's a direct link to the reasonable wear and tear verses damages page referenced by pic-chic:

http://www.rentlaw.com/normalweartear.htm

[ElijahKhalil]

Thanks pic-chic. I also wonder why the landlord had to hire professional cleaner and carpet cleaner when in fact I even cleaned the house before I left. There is nothing wrong with the carpet too. The apartment has hardwood floors except for the 2 rooms where there's carpet. Did not have decors on the wall. Never stepped on the carpet ever with shoes on. Stayed there for only a year.

[ElijahKhalil]

Thanks you all. He is fabricating his claims that he had this and that done. I did my investigation and up to this day, landlord had nothing done. He said he will provide me receipts but what he gave me were estimates not receipts. He even backdated one and claimed he had carpet cleaning done 6 days ago but talked to the owner of the carpet cleaning company that he had just provided him an estimate 2 days ago and have yet to hear from the landlord again if he really want to get the job done. If any cleaning or repairs has to be done would you know if it has to be done within the 30-day time frame? Thanks again.

[WILWRadio]

Document everything. Keep a note pad with you and visit each business that the Landlord claims he contacted to conduct work in the apartment. Put the date and time and the name of the person that you spoke to when asking questions. This is perfectly legal and admissible evidence in a court of law.