Apartment Move Out Rip-off - How to respnd?

Question

I recently moved out of state from Denver to Seattle. After a month of move out, previous apartment guys have sent us a notice to pay $1250 for damages. When we left the apartment, we cleaned it up except couple of stains on the carpet and few pin holes. We stayed in the apartment for 2 years. Now we are being charged for carpet replacement ($550) which was already old when we moved in and many misc. charges like floor replacement etc. When we were there, they started changing floors for all newly vacated apartments but why we are being charged for their plan of work. Should the normal wear-&-tear happen when you live for 2 years? There are numerous complain about the apartment in the past (checked apartmentratings.com) about move-out fines. We are going crazy, didn't face this situation in the past (in last 4 apartments we lived, in fact we got the deposit back). How should we handle this situation? Should we talk to lawyers or consumer forums. Any help or idea would be appreciated.

Answer 1

As far as the carpet goes, you're not being ripped off. Wear and tear does NOT include stains on carpet. Always remember the standard of "in as good or better condition than when you moved in, less normal wear and tear". If there were no 'pin holes' in the walls when you moved in and you left pin holes, the landlord can charge you to repair these.

You do not state what the remainder of the charges cover, but if they fall under the above standard, you are responsible to pay for them.

Apparently this landlord sticks to the letter of the law. Some are more lenient than others are, but that does not mean that this particular landlord must be as lenient as have your previous landlords been.

Good luck!

Answer 2

you should have taken pics for your precaution. In my apt, you get ur carpet replaced after 3 years...i'm sure it's dif with the management. I still say that's crap you have to pay that much...It's unreasonable for you to pay for normal wear and tear....a carpet clean costs less than $100. Are you sure you didn't leave holes or have water damage to the carpet causing it to wrinkle? I wouldn't doubt the apt ripped yiou off..it's sad you need to take precaution just so you don't have to get ripped off. But that's life. Good luck...i'll threat to sue before i talk to the lawyer.

Answer 3

sure, they're. except it particularly is especially suggested in writing or on your hire that this $4 hundred could easily be a non-refundable fee, then it particularly is legally seen to be a deposit, no rely what the owner claims. As for the $609 in expenses, in the event that they already knew in strengthen that they could rip out the carpet, as they suggested they routinely achieve this on each and every occasion all of us has a puppy, then this might desire to have been disclosed to you formerly and pronounced on your hire. in addition to, any injury they're claiming to have might desire to have been documented. In maximum states, if the owner does no longer carry out a walk-however assessment/checklist of the state of the residence till now moving in, which the two events sign off on and conform to in writing, then they won't be able to declare damages on your section, for there could be no way for them to tutor that the wear and tear substitute into no longer pre-latest. additionally, there isn't any desire for them to have replaced the carpet for the full residence using fact of harm interior the mattress room, that purely does no longer postpone in courtroom. there isn't any way they could win this in courtroom. Arguing with them would be a waste of time, although. in case you desire to combat it, pass directly to small claims courtroom. otherwise, purely enable the deposit funds pass and wait for them to make the 1st pass in the event that they experience they're owed greater.