Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Real Estate > Renting
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 04-22-2010, 05:27 PM
 
4,483 posts, read 9,249,737 times
Reputation: 5769

Advertisements

If a tenant leaves some damage and the landlord cleans/fixes it himself, can he keep part of the deposit? Or does he have to hire someone so he will have the receipt?

For example, if he replaces the toilet, he will have the receipt for the purchase, but if he hires a plumber, he has a receipt for the toilet and the labor. If he does it himself, can he keep what he would have paid for the plumber's labor?
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 04-22-2010, 07:17 PM
 
Location: 39 20' 59"N / 75 30' 53"W
16,077 posts, read 28,455,948 times
Reputation: 18184
In other words, charging the tenant for their time and labor, thats a good question. The rental income is their livelihood, its his property to maintain and manage, whether he does it himself or hires a contractor. I don't think they should, but then, that doesn't mean they can't, so it comes down to state L/T codes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-22-2010, 10:03 PM
 
Location: St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
24,665 posts, read 69,464,851 times
Reputation: 26726
Most courts will favor the LL as long as his labor costs are within reason.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-22-2010, 11:25 PM
 
4,796 posts, read 22,845,582 times
Reputation: 5046
Yes.

Their charges must be reasonable but that term, legally speaking, is a range. A range of 50% more or less than the average cost of a given service is a good rule of thumb. For example if a professional plumber charges $200 for a given repair, and the LL charges $300, that is still a reasonable deduction. Reasonable is not the same thing as 'the cheapest option available'.

And they must still give you an itemized receipt of the deductions.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-22-2010, 11:42 PM
 
Location: 39 20' 59"N / 75 30' 53"W
16,077 posts, read 28,455,948 times
Reputation: 18184
Quote:
Originally Posted by kodaka View Post

For example if a professional plumber charges $200 for a given repair, and the LL charges $300, that is still a reasonable deduction.

.
A licensed plumber went to school, your paying for his expertise,
if a plumber charged to $200. and a LL charged $300, I don't believe thats reasonable,
if I were a tenant, and you the LL we'd be in court.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-23-2010, 09:02 AM
 
4,796 posts, read 22,845,582 times
Reputation: 5046
Quote:
Originally Posted by virgode View Post
A licensed plumber went to school, your paying for his expertise,
if a plumber charged to $200. and a LL charged $300, I don't believe thats reasonable,
if I were a tenant, and you the LL we'd be in court.
Going to court doesn't mean you'll win. Just because you don't like the way something is, doesn't mean it is illegal.

Also, you shouldn't assume that landlords aren't experienced or expert plumbers. Landlords often have training in building engineering and are as expert as anyone in the phone book.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-23-2010, 09:14 AM
 
Location: 39 20' 59"N / 75 30' 53"W
16,077 posts, read 28,455,948 times
Reputation: 18184
Quote:
Originally Posted by kodaka View Post
Going to court doesn't mean you'll win.
An LL is required to make the repair not a profit greater than a licensed plumber. In that case, he should have contacted the licensed plumber, its cheaper, the expense is paid by the tenant, its common sense.... I'd win.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-23-2010, 10:27 AM
 
Location: Central Texas
20,958 posts, read 45,207,663 times
Reputation: 24738
Let's see. You cause some damage to the place you're leasing. The landlord has to repair it, either by hiring a professional or by purchasing the necessary items and doing the work himself. And you're quibbling about how he goes about fixing the damage to his property that you caused and did not have repaired yourself?

Why wasn't the damage repaired before you moved out? Was the landlord informed about the damage before you moved out, and given the opportunity to repair it/have it repaired, or to authorize YOU to pay a professional to repair the damage you caused, or at least to get estimates on having it done so that you would know for sure how much it would cost to have a professional do it?

I can see these kinds of questions coming up in court. Along with, as mentioned above, what is the range that is considered reasonable, legally. (Again, not what you would like it to be, but what it is.) The landlord is not required to do the cheapest job, or hire the cheapest professional, to get a good repair done on the damage the tenant has caused. Just a reasonable one.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-23-2010, 11:54 AM
 
Location: 39 20' 59"N / 75 30' 53"W
16,077 posts, read 28,455,948 times
Reputation: 18184
I agree partially with your post THL, however greater nor cheaper equal better and a cost of 50% more than the normal range for the same repair, as another poster suggested, in my estimation is unreasonable.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 04-23-2010, 02:43 PM
 
27,206 posts, read 46,557,818 times
Reputation: 15661
The LL can keep money for the work he does him self and show receipts of the purchases and bank statements that it has been paid as proof.

I'm charging my previous LL as we speak for the many hours we worked in the yard to fix everything to the level it was as the tenant moved in, which took 3 of my family members 4 hours (so we charged 3 x 4 hours x $ 10.00 per hour)...I don't think we have to do it for free and for the items we have receipts.

We also have proof of before move in, and on the day of move out to show how much difference it was...
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Real Estate > Renting

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top