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.
Rabritta, I'm not sure how you can say I damaged the carpet, when I did nothing of the sort. If I spill something, I immediately soak it up and treat it with carpet cleaner. We try not to wear our shoes inside, and we regularly vacuum. The point I was trying to make was that the carpet coming apart at the seams is not due to negligence at all, but to its quality. Alerting the landlord at the first sign would not have magically made it stop and I'm certain nothing could be done short of replacing it. My concern is that the age and belief this is normal wear and tear will strictly be the landlord's word against mine. There is no protection for the tenant in this case. I will probably not get my deposit back because that's how this world works, so I better start accepting it.
The point has been made which you seem not to understand. If something is wrong, document it and let your landlord know. Your landlord then has the option to either fix or replace and YOU are off the hook for damaging something which was not your fault but normal wear and tear. This is absolutely basic Landlord Tenant 101 but if you want to rest on the assumption that you're just not going to get your security deposit back because "that's how this world works" then so be it.
Rabritta, I'm not sure how you can say I damaged the carpet, when I did nothing of the sort. If I spill something, I immediately soak it up and treat it with carpet cleaner. We try not to wear our shoes inside, and we regularly vacuum. The point I was trying to make was that the carpet coming apart at the seams is not due to negligence at all, but to its quality. Alerting the landlord at the first sign would not have magically made it stop and I'm certain nothing could be done short of replacing it. My concern is that the age and belief this is normal wear and tear will strictly be the landlord's word against mine. There is no protection for the tenant in this case. I will probably not get my deposit back because that's how this world works, so I better start accepting it.
She wasn't saying you damaged it, it looks like she was giving an example of what might happen in general.
And I know others said this, but mentioning it to the landlord in an email could be as simple as, "Hey Mr. LL, I noticed the seams where the carpet meets are unraveling. Not sure if it means the carpet needs to be replaced or repaired, but let me know." And if he doesn't, that's fine and you have proof you let him know from the beginning about it. And he wouldn't be able to charge you a dime for it. That's what everyone was saying. Not that it was a magical solution to stop it.
And in the future, most definitely let the landlord know anything right away about the apartment if it's unraveling, peeling, worsening etc. And try to do it by email or fax so you have proof you reported it and can't be charged for it. And so what if the landlord gets annoyed, it's your deposit you are trying to protect. I hope though all this was for naught and you do get your deposit back. Good luck.
If we can not proper care to carpet that is wear and tear; burned or stained carpeting is damage. A few small nail holes is wear and tear; large holes in the walls constitute damages.So thanks for it
A hot glue gun? Like one used for crafts?? Maybe I didn't explain properly, the carpet is so thin it is separating, not necessarily due to a string unraveling it. I don't know much about carpet repair, but I don't see how hot glue would have done any difference. Also, it's completely the landlord's word against mine. This carpet could be way past due to be replaced, but they could easily say it was put in right before we moved in and charge me for it. There is nothing in the lease about letting the management know about thin carpet or carpet disintegration.
The LL would have to prove when the carpet went in. It is not just based on their word against yours. They have to have receipts if it comes down to it. If it came down to a court case they would have to have receipts for proof of when it went in and what kind/type/grade of carpet it was to determine how well it would hold up to normal wear and tear. Also, how old the carpet was is also taken into consideration. A certain amount would be taken off for every year the carpet was in for depreciation. After a certain amount of time the carpet would be worth nothing and needs to be replaced anyway.
The vinyl floor is a different story. That will more than likely be on you to fix or replace.
Also, a LL can not charge you for carpet cleaning so don't let them even try deducting for that. If, however, you have caused any damage or spills, etc to the carpet you can get charged for those if you didn't or weren't able to clean or repair the damage or spills yourself. This would only be IF the carpet was not otherwise at an age to be replaced and it was all damage caused by you.
Also, a LL can not charge you for carpet cleaning so don't let them even try deducting for that. If, however, you have caused any damage or spills, etc to the carpet you can get charged for those if you didn't or weren't able to clean or repair the damage or spills yourself. This would only be IF the carpet was not otherwise at an age to be replaced and it was all damage caused by you.
You start off saying a LL can't charge and then explain why they can.
A landlord can include in the lease a perfectly legal provision that upon leaving the tenant will pay for carpet cleaning. If such a provision is not included in the lease a landlord can charge for carpet cleaning for anything above what is considered normal wear and tear.
In most states that I know of LLs can not charge for routine carpet cleaning. OP can easily look that up for their state. I do not see a state listed for OP.
And the other part of my statement was for DAMAGES. DAMAGES are different than normal wear and tear to constitute 'routine carpet cleaning' and they can be charged for if they can not be repaired or cleaned.
You start off saying a LL can't charge and then explain why they can.
A landlord can include in the lease a perfectly legal provision that upon leaving the tenant will pay for carpet cleaning. If such a provision is not included in the lease a landlord can charge for carpet cleaning for anything above what is considered normal wear and tear.
Oh, and sure they can include it in their lease all they want but if their state does not allow routine carpet cleaning to be charged for then it is null and void.
My idiot LL has it in our lease but doesn't mean he is going to get away with it and he won't.
I didn't know there were states that didn't allow carpet cleaning to be deducted until I read it on another recent forum thread. Some states definitely still allow it, and it is totally normal and customary.
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.
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.
