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I agree it's a small matter. However, I think he is wrong and if he is,then I will be awarded the full amount plus attorney fees. Most likely, the court sides with the tenants. The point is that he did not return my deposit within 30 days which is NC law. He charged me $250 to clean one bedroom and one bath. Dosn't any sane person realize that this is ridiculous?
I'm sane. With a highly developed sensitivity to the ridiculous.
I agree it's a small matter. However, I think he is wrong and if he is,then I will be awarded the full amount plus attorney fees. Most likely, the court sides with the tenants. The point is that he did not return my deposit within 30 days which is NC law. He charged me $250 to clean one bedroom and one bath. Dosn't any sane person realize that this is ridiculous?
It is ridiculous. It's up to you to decide it the amount of money owed is worth the hassle. I'd be pissed too. $250 is a lot of money to me.
Call the TroubleShooter at WTVD or 5 On Your Side at WRAL
I rented a bedroom in a condo owned by the landlord who lived in the other bedroom. When I moved out last August, he has not returned my rentall deposit. Now as I am moving out of Durham, I demanded my deposit back but he said he is keeping half because I left the in a "mess'. There was no damage done to the room. The carpet may have some stains but a steam cleaning will do since the carpet was white. However, as I read online, stains in carpets are considered normal wear and tear and the cleaning should not have been deducted from deposit. He also accused me not asking him for my deposit. I thought by law, he had to return my deposit within 30 days without me having to ask for it. The deposit is only $450 and he wants to keep $230. All this for one 10x11 bedroom and one bath ?!
He is being very nasty and if you guys think I have a case, I may ask a lawyer to handle this for me since I have left Durham already.
I own some rental property, but please note that I don't own any in NC, so I am not an expert on your local laws. However, your former landlord is opening himself up to a heap of problems by not providing the full accounting (i.e., itemized list of security deposit deductions) within the specified time limit of the law. This is seriously frowned upon by judges in my area, which is considered landlord-friendly. In my state, a judge would provide you (the tenant) with triple damages and court costs, in addition to any other damages possibly awarded.
The fact that you continued paying your rent (despite moving prior to the end of the lease) shows good faith on your part, IMHO. I also hope you took lots of pictures/video when you moved in, as well as upon your departure.
You've gotten some good advice here: have an attorney friend send a stern letter (via certified mail); contact the local media outlets and tell everyone what this landlord is doing. However, I would also file a complaint with the Attorney General's office. Only you can determine whether or not it would be worth the financial cost to pursue this in small claims court, but I would try some of these other measures first. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Well, I emailed my former landlord with a very business like letter reminding him that he had not returned my deposit back within 30 days as required by NC law, plus I did not received an itemization of the amounts he wanted to deduct which he told me over the phone two days ago. He tried to bully and intimidate me over the phone saying his lawyer friend asked him to write me a nasty letter ( yea right, like I did anything wrong) and he was willing to take the matter to a higher level if I choose. Additionally, in the letter I also demanded a written account of how much he spent cleaning the bedroom and bathroom and if he did it himself, the evidence of time needed to clean it and the hourly rate he was charging me. A few hours later, I received a nasty letter via email from him but I am amazed and shocked that he said he would refund me the whole amount. I can't believe it since I didn't even ask him for the whole amount, just that he itemizes his deductions. What may have happened is that he consulted a lawyer friend and knows that judges do not look in favor of someone who didn't return the refund within 30 days. I also sent a hardcopy of my email letter to him via certified mail and I am waiting for his check. Thank you all for your advice especially those who encourage me not to back down.
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