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You are overstating the perils of going to small claims court. First of all it's a blip on your report. If you apply for a mortgage or car loan they won't care. They care about you not paying revolving credit, also if you do lose all you have to do is pay it. Sometimes it's the principle of the matter that is worth more than the ridiculous stories about how your life will be ruined if someone sues you in small claims court. Guess what anyone can sue you in small claims court when they feel you owe them money. It's not the end of the world, and you have no control over it. My former LL wanted to keep $150 for a cleaning fee after she pointed out all the previous damage that I had proof was already there. I told her if she kept it I would see her in court. She returned the full amount. Scaring people to think they will be financially ruined over small claims court is ridiculous. It's what LLs do to scare tenants into paying unfair amounts.
calling a judgment a blip is like calling a bankruptcy a blip. It's not a blip...its huge hit to your credit report and yes, anyone looking to load you money will look at that judgment and your crappy credit score.
You are overstating the perils of going to small claims court. First of all it's a blip on your report. If you apply for a mortgage or car loan they won't care. They care about you not paying revolving credit, also if you do lose all you have to do is pay it. Sometimes it's the principle of the matter that is worth more than the ridiculous stories about how your life will be ruined if someone sues you in small claims court. Guess what anyone can sue you in small claims court when they feel you owe them money. It's not the end of the world, and you have no control over it. My former LL wanted to keep $150 for a cleaning fee after she pointed out all the previous damage that I had proof was already there. I told her if she kept it I would see her in court. She returned the full amount. Scaring people to think they will be financially ruined over small claims court is ridiculous. It's what LLs do to scare tenants into paying unfair amounts.
You are wildly understating the perils of being sued in small claims court and having a civil judgment rendered against you that will be in public records and on your credit reports for a long time.
"They" most certainly care about matters like this when you apply for a mortgage, car loan, job, car insurance, lease, credit...you are either naive or woefully ignorant of how the world works.
If the OP is still around, he has been given sound advice. Pay, and if he is convinced the landlord has violated the LL/tenant law in his jurisdiction, and/or he is convinced and has evidence that the LL charged an unreasonable amount of money for this repair and clean up, then go ahead and sue the LL.
But the "advice" that you and several others have given him has been ridiculous. Don't pay - let him sue you - have your day in court - lie (commit perjury) about a security deposit and say he didn't return it and you lost the receipt (the OP did not pay a security deposit) - and so on.
So when the day comes and you finally move out of your parents' basement and you gain some real life experience about these kinds of things, you may finally learn how the world works and how you need to keep your nose clean and preserve your credit history. Furthermore, you may learn that stewing over a couple hundred dollars for days and weeks on end is a stupid use of time and mental effort.
When you screw up, just pay up, and don't screw up again. Learn from it and move on with your life. But for you, the first step is to get out of that basement - it is time to grow up and become an independent adult, and stop spending every waking hour on the internet railing against landlords and talking about things you know nothing about.
You are wildly understating the perils of being sued in small claims court and having a civil judgment rendered against you that will be in public records and on your credit reports for a long time.
"They" most certainly care about matters like this when you apply for a mortgage, car loan, job, car insurance, lease, credit...you are either naive or woefully ignorant of how the world works.
If the OP is still around, he has been given sound advice. Pay, and if he is convinced the landlord has violated the LL/tenant law in his jurisdiction, and/or he is convinced and has evidence that the LL charged an unreasonable amount of money for this repair and clean up, then go ahead and sue the LL.
But the "advice" that you and several others have given him has been ridiculous. Don't pay - let him sue you - have your day in court - lie (commit perjury) about a security deposit and say he didn't return it and you lost the receipt (the OP did not pay a security deposit) - and so on.
So when the day comes and you finally move out of your parents' basement and you gain some real life experience about these kinds of things, you may finally learn how the world works and how you need to keep your nose clean and preserve your credit history. Furthermore, you may learn that stewing over a couple hundred dollars for days and weeks on end is a stupid use of time and mental effort.
When you screw up, just pay up, and don't screw up again. Learn from it and move on with your life. But for you, the first step is to get out of that basement - it is time to grow up and become an independent adult, and stop spending every waking hour on the internet railing against landlords and talking about things you know nothing about.
Trouble seems to follow some people around like a shadow they can't lose. We all know people like this, and there is nothing you can ever say to them to convince them that they are creating nearly all of their own problems, or they are making things worse with everything they do to "get even" with someone else, yet to them it is always someone else's fault.
The OP got some excellent advice on this thread, but I kept up my posts in the thread not for the OP but for anyone else who may stumble upon it in the future. The OP also got some really bad advice here, too. Is the OP smart enough to know the difference? My gut tells me he is smart enough and will come out of this OK.
But for some of the intransigent basement dwellers dishing out horrible advice on this thread? No, I don't think they have learned a thing from this, and they will probably never really "get it."
Actually the advice given him was to pay it and sue the LL.
You LLs should agree. No risk and no blip.
My last LL tried to withhold a months rent when I moved out early on the lease. His RE Agent told him that he could do so because I moved before the lease expired. However the LL and I had gotten together and had rented the place two weeks before my rent expired and 6 weeks before the lease expired. Basically I got the LL a replacement tenant and gave the tenant two weeks free.
The judge of course found for me and the LL paid off shortly thereafter. I am pleased to learn his credit was ruined.
This is really neat. All tenants simply take their LL to small claims court. There is almost always at least one issue. You don't get much money but you ruin your LLs credit.
Actually the advice given him was to pay it and sue the LL.
You LLs should agree. No risk and no blip.
My last LL tried to withhold a months rent when I moved out early on the lease. His RE Agent told him that he could do so because I moved before the lease expired. However the LL and I had gotten together and had rented the place two weeks before my rent expired and 6 weeks before the lease expired. Basically I got the LL a replacement tenant and gave the tenant two weeks free.
The judge of course found for me and the LL paid off shortly thereafter. I am pleased to learn his credit was ruined.
This is really neat. All tenants simply take their LL to small claims court. There is almost always at least one issue. You don't get much money but you ruin your LLs credit.
Dude, a quick look at your posts in this thread reveals you know nothing about how judgments are reported in court records or credit reports. You have been spreading some of the unhelpful nonsense on this thread.
And early in the thread you said the OP should go ahead and get sued and let a judge sort it out. You called the cost "exorbitant." And so on.
If you have "seen the light" then good for you. But don't expect anyone here to give you a gold star...you dished out some bad info and advice on this thread, and anyone who cares to read back through this thread will find that to be the case.
And I don't actually think you have seen any "light." Your parting advice is that "all tenants simply take their LL to small claims court...there is almost always at least one issue...you don't get much money but you ruin your LLs credit." This is AWFUL advice. Public records will show that you are a serial law suit filer - nobody wants to rent a property to someone who always takes the LL to court.
This is really neat. All tenants simply take their LL to small claims court. There is almost always at least one issue. You don't get much money but you ruin your LLs credit.
I agree this is the best suggestion. OP pay it under protest than take LL to court. Has all sorts of advantages and avoids any possible credit problem. You LLs should note that a paid judgement is not a negative but goes in the list of paid obligations.
I can get a 3 inch hole repaired and repainted with no problem for around $100 by a licensed professional. Not only that you will never know a repair was made. I am also skeptical as to whether the involved LL actually has suitable invoices.
That referred to paying the bill and then taking the LL to small claims court.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Westbound and Down
Dude, a quick look at your posts in this thread reveals you know nothing about how judgments are reported in court records or credit reports. You have been spreading some of the unhelpful nonsense on this thread.
And early in the thread you said the OP should go ahead and get sued and let a judge sort it out. You called the cost "exorbitant." And so on.
If you have "seen the light" then good for you. But don't expect anyone here to give you a gold star...you dished out some bad info and advice on this thread, and anyone who cares to read back through this thread will find that to be the case.
And I don't actually think you have seen any "light." Your parting advice is that "all tenants simply take their LL to small claims court...there is almost always at least one issue...you don't get much money but you ruin your LLs credit." This is AWFUL advice. Public records will show that you are a serial law suit filer - nobody wants to rent a property to someone who always takes the LL to court.
You really didn't learn anything.
The filing of small claims court suits is not a reported item. And there is nothing to indicate that it is a LL Tenant matter in most jurisdictions. And the judgement is recorded against the LL not the tenant.
The final advice is obviously pulling your ridiculously one sided chain. The neat thing is that you would miss it. Which you did.
So you really think I ruined my ex LL credit for ten years? You into the tooth fairy too?
That referred to paying the bill and then taking the LL to small claims court.
The filing of small claims court suits is not a reported item. And there is nothing to indicate that it is a LL Tenant matter in most jurisdictions. And the judgement is recorded against the LL not the tenant.
The final advice is obviously pulling your ridiculously one sided chain. The neat thing is that you would miss it. Which you did.
So you really think I ruined my ex LL credit for ten years? You into the tooth fairy too?
Too bad you can't go back in the thread and delete your garbage advice.
Get out of your parents' basement. Spread your wings...grow up.
Too bad you can't go back in the thread and delete your garbage advice.
Get out of your parents' basement. Spread your wings...grow up.
Like so many of the LL on this list. When defeated it is always the personal attack.
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