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So I lived in a apartment (small studio) for 1 year lease. I vacated a little earlier (maybe a month)
I cleaned the place out thoroughly and when i was living there i was very careful not to damage the walls
i didnt hang anything or even put a thumb tag. When it is time for me to get deposit back, they charged $375 for painting and $125 for cleaning.
I mean is this sensible? i feel like this is very unfair and this type of stuff should be covered by the owner when tenants change..
any insight?
Does your lease address the cleaning fee? Sometimes a lease will state that the tenant should provide a receipt as proof of professional cleaning or they will be billed for X amount.
Did you take photos prior to moving out to document that there was no damage? Regarding the painting charge, I would request to see photos of the damage to the walls that required them to repaint. However, if you don't have proof that the walls were in good shape when you left, then you're probably SOL.
Most landlords assume repainting every 3-5 years. If your walls were marked up or scuffed enough that they had to repaint after only one year, then yeah they would charge you for that.
Picture nails and thumbtacks aren't the only things that affect the paint finish. Maybe you had a sofa that rubbed up against the wall or scuffed up the walls in the hallway where you walk several times a day?
If you have pictures--hi res pics, not just something taken with your phone--that shows the walls and the entire space were spotless, then maybe you could go to court with them and argue that the charges are unreasonable. But that takes time and effort, and likely you'd only get some of it back.
I cleaned the place out thoroughly and when i was living there i was very careful not to damage the walls
i didnt hang anything or even put a thumb tag.
At the time that you moved out... did they inspect? Did you take any photo's?
How about when you moved in?
Quote:
...any insight?
They're charging just a bit less than most people will take the time to fight over.
Fight them anyway.
Most landlords assume repainting every 3-5 years. If your walls were marked up or scuffed enough that they had to repaint after only one year, then yeah they would charge you for that. You should have the inspection a day or two before your lease is up so you have time to address the problem yourself.
Picture nails and thumbtacks aren't the only things that affect the paint finish. Maybe you had a sofa that rubbed up against the wall or scuffed up the walls in the hallway where you walk several times a day?
If you have pictures--hi res pics, not just something taken with your phone--that shows the walls and the entire space were spotless, then maybe you could go to court with them and argue that the charges are unreasonable. But that takes time and effort, and likely you'd only get some of it back.
There is no such thing as low-res pics these days .
I recently learned a lot about this subject. You are responsible for any damage or overtly dirty marks. You could've asked what areas of the walls required more cleaning and then took care of that within a day. Same with cleaning. What areas were not cleaned to his/her satisfaction? If there is no agreement that you would pay for cleaners, then cleaning it yourself is fine.
The key thing here going forward is if you rent again, literally take pictures of EVERYTHING inside and out. Inside cabinets, surfaces, tops of doors, tops of molding, base boards, windows, blinds, every wall, every vent, every inch of the place that might harbor dust or dirty, so when it comes time to leave you can stick those in their face if they are jerks.
Also, if the walls were newly painted when you moved in and they could not be cleaned enough to where they would not require repainting, then they can only charge you for a percentage of the remaining useful life of the walls, which is 2 years I read in most cases. If the walls were not painted in 5 years, their useful life is expired and so you can't be charged for repainting, assuming you've removed any dirt on the walls beyond normal wear and tear - a scuff mark is normal wear and tear.
First time I did this renting BS I had to pay for gardening because some weeds grew. Since then I take picutres of everything so I know what state I need to leave the place in when I leave.
Last edited by andrewreno; 10-04-2017 at 09:16 AM..
$375 for painting does not pay for a lot of painting. I suspect it was for repair some small damage, not for painting the whole house. Or if it was for painting the whole house, it was severely reduced for depreciation.
Was there ground in dirt at the headboard of the head or behind where your sofa was located? Did you cook greasy food in the kitchen? Were there hand prints near all the light switches? Did your movers nick a doorway or wall when moving furniture out?
Cleaning? Did you clean the oven? Wash the windows? Clean the window tracks and the shower door? Dust the top of the door frames?
If you are not happy about the charge and if you have good move-in photos and really clear move-out photos, you can take the landlord to small claims court and see if the judge thinks you should have some of your money back.
$375 for painting does not pay for a lot of painting. I suspect it was for repair some small damage, not for painting the whole house. Or if it was for painting the whole house, it was severely reduced for depreciation.
OP said it was a small studio apartment so that may explain the low cost.
You're responsible for returning the unit to the condition it was in when you moved in, minus any reasonable wear and tear.
If your description is accurate, it sounds like you did this and you shouldn't be charged a fee for painting or cleaning for that matter, unless you have language to the contrary in your lease (which, depending on your jurisdiction, may or may not be legal anyway).
Your recourse is to sue in small claims court. It sounds like you have a pretty good shot, but you've also got to decide if its worth your time/energy.
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