A RENTER has been left stunned after their landlord issued several fees for them to pay.
They decided not to renew their lease at the apartment complex and were sent the charges soon afterward.
A renter has been left baffled by a $41 light bulb charge and other fees from their landlord (stock image)[/caption]
“Got charged for my entire security deposit plus some. Is there any way to get it back?” the desperate tenant wrote in a recent Reddit thread.
In a lengthy explanation, the Pennsylvania resident claimed they’d moved out of a “tiny studio apartment” at the end of the lease term and the landlord charged them $677.50.
That total was made up of four surprise fees, all included in a itemized list that they posted.
There was a light bulb replacement cost in the kitchen for $41.25 and appliance cleaning fee of $175 for the stove and oven to start.
The most expensive was a wall damages fee for $420, and then a smaller window screen replacement also for $41.25.
According to the list, the landlord decided to keep the $650 deposit from the renter to cover most of it, leaving an outstanding balance of $27.50 for them to pay.
“I’m wondering if there’s any way I can dispute this and get my security deposit back,” they wrote.
“Especially because most of the charges seem like things I shouldn’t be charged for for one reason or another.”
RECEIPT WRONG?
The renter claimed the window screen, for example, was previously damaged before move-in, and they allegedly have photographic proof.
Additionally, the $420 wall damages fee was inaccurate, according to the renter, as they hadn’t even hung anything specifically to avoid charges.
They argued that most of the fees should be covered under “normal wear and tear.”
“I’ve tried contacting the renting agency multiple times and every time they told me they would get back to me and then never returned my calls or emails so clearly they’re just trying to ignore me until I go away,” the renter fumed.
“Anyway, would it be worth going to small claims court or is it a lost cause?”
Several fellow renters offered suggestions on a way forward.
Steps to Dispute Security Deposit Deductions
- Review deductions from landlord carefully and make a detailed list
- Compare deductions to the lease agreement to verify what constitutes wear and tear and review cleaning expectations
- Gather evidence to support claims like inspection reports, receipts, and move-in/move-out photos
- Write and send a formal dispute letter to landlord
- Negotiate partial/full refund
- Hire an attorney and go to small claims court if still unresolved
Credit: RTRLAW
Someone urged the affected tenant to “read over their lease in case it details move out costs/responsibilities.”
“Court should not be the immediate go to. That should be a last resort,” another advised.
“You should be entitled to an itemized invoice & ask to see receipts.”
A third recommended they “research your states tenancy laws to figure out who the burden of proof is on.”
CONSIDERATIONS TO MAKE
Some lawyers do recommend that taking a security deposit dispute to court as a last step, per RTRLAW.
While rules do differ by state, some, like Florida for example, are required to send a written notice within 30 days after a lease ends if they are going to withhold any portion of a security deposit.
Checking if that’s happened or not is a great fist step.
Lawyers also recommend tenants compare the deductions to what’s listed in a lease agreement, gather evidence to support a claim, and send a formal dispute letter to the landlord or apartment complex.
Many times, renters are able to negotiate from there without involving legal action.
If that ends up being the case, hiring an attorney and going to small claims court or filing a complaint with a state’s agriculture and consumer services department is possible.
A renter was also left paying $150 monthly fees after a landlord put them through “3 years of hell.”
After taking a landlord to court recently, a couple was able to get $4,400 in backpay, and a “spotlight” was the key.
