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We rented a home in Clayton, NC November 2013 for an 18 month lease. When we signed up it was through a rental agency used by our landlord. After the lease was up, we renewed for an additional 2 years directly through the landlord. When the lease had about 2 months left, the landlord let us know that he wanted to sell the house. At that point he started doing renovations to the home to help it sell better. While we were living there, he painted the whole downstairs which took 3 days, replaced the kitchen countertops, 2 days, put in a new sink, 1 day, and had a new stove installed. He also let us know that he expected the house to be immaculate for realtor photos and for his open house and showings. We spent at least 4 weekends getting the house in perfect order for these things. At the same time, he worked outside on the landscaping and got it ready for showings. The night before we moved he tells us that he expects the 10 year old carpets to be cleaned. Rather than have him charge us a lot of money, we had the carpets cleaned as we were moving out. We finally moved out at the end of our lease, and after 32 days we finally got the accounting for our deposit back. Out of $1500 he returned only $250. He is charging us for work that he did while we were living there so that he could show the house. Also, the same day that he was making us pay to clean the carpets, he changed the sales listing for the house saying that the carpets ( that we paid to get cleaned) were getting replaced! Can he legally do this? What recourse do we have?
As to specifically the carpet, yes, he can mandate you clean the carpets before you move, regardless of what he plans to do with them. That is the property you are renting from him currently, not the new carpet he may or may not install. If they really are 10 year old carpets he cant charge you for replacing them.
When the lease had about 2 months left, the landlord let us know that he wanted to sell the house.
At that point he started doing renovations to the home to help it sell better.
At this point... did the topic of ending the lease early and you moving out come up?
By either of you?
Quote:
The night before we moved he tells us that he expects the 10 year old carpets to be cleaned.
Rather than have him charge us a lot of money, we had the carpets cleaned as we were moving out.
We finally moved out at the end of our lease, and after 32 days we finally got the accounting for our deposit back.
Out of $1500 he returned only $250.
Not sure what state you are in, but in CA, the LL needs to provide an itemized list/receipts and the reasons for the deductions.
As stated, an attorney might be needed for this case if the LL is not forthcoming with their reasons why they deducted so much money.
It shows NC in the OP. And yes, most every state does require a detailed list/breakdown of deductions. Hopefully the OP will provide us a list so we have more detail to go on.
It shows NC in the OP. And yes, most every state does require a detailed list/breakdown of deductions. Hopefully the OP will provide us a list so we have more detail to go on.
Thanks, that's what I get for posting at work. I just looked at her profile on the right side of the post, and glanced over the NC portion in the post.
thanks, that's what i get for posting at work. I just looked at her profile on the right side of the post, and glanced over the nc portion in the post.:d
It shows NC in the OP. And yes, most every state does require a detailed list/breakdown of deductions. Hopefully the OP will provide us a list so we have more detail to go on.
Sorry, I just read these responses. We were charged $180 for the kitchen ceiling to be painted.(The upstairs toilet overflowed. We repaired the ceiling, but the paint didn't exactly match after. It was never decided who was at fault. The plumbing was problematic there. I specifically asked if he wanted us to repaint. He said not to worry, he's just get it painted when the downstairs walls were being painted. That's what he did.)
Landscaping: $500. He came over 6 weeks or so before our lease was up and put out new mulch, trimmed bushes, etc. We were never asked to do any of this, nor were we given the chance to. It was done before we moved out.
Move out cleaning: $150. The house was immaculate. It had been for the last month. We had been cleaning it for listing photos, open house, showings. He mentioned the day before we moved that he was charging us for the grout in the kitchen being dark.
Siding repair: $183. there was a small hole in the siding. I assumed it had been there since before we moved in. We had a classic car parked in front of that part of the house that never got moved. I don't know how we could have damaged it.
Replacement garage door opener: $99. Both openers worked. One which I kept in my car was old and the button started to disintegrate and got sticky.
Replacement blinds: $76. One room had blinds that were broken when we moved in, the other room listed had blinds in perfect condition.
Light bulbs: $62. He put in light bulbs ( maybe 4 of the non led type) a month before our lease ended for his open house.
It wasn't in our lease to have to clean the carpets before we left. They were 10 years old and had only normal wear and tear. We literally only cleaned them because we feared that he would charge us our whole deposit and say it was for cleaning. As a matter of fact, I believe that he didn't tell us until 6pm the night before our move because he didn't think we would be able to get someone there to do it in time. Then he would just use the money to replace the carpet. The entire situation was shady.
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