Posted by T. Romito on January 28, 1997 at 15:52:46:
Shortly after vacating an apartment I had occupied for 3 years in Virginia,
I received a bill from the landlord demanding I pay $270 within 30 days or
I will be turned over to a collection agency. The cost was for apartment
cleaning & painting and carpet cleaning. The carpet had been cleaned just
6 months prior and I had cleaned the apartment before vacating (except for
mopping the floors). I was told by the local Consumer Protection Agency
that if the landlord takes me to court, they will most likely win, stating
those cost to cover "damages". The apartment HAS NO damages, only normal
wear and tear. It was my understanding that they cannot charge me for
normal wear and tear. Without resorting to a lawyer, is there a legal
document I can present to the previous landlord stating that I am not
responsible for those "maintenance" charges? How can I find out if I am
in fact correct on this matter? I'm not sure if going to an attorney will
cost as much as just paying the actual expense. I feel this is just
another case of a greedy landlord trying to scam money.
Follow Ups:
Note: Posting is disabled in all archives
Post a Followup