Nightkelpie
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Michigan
Okay...this is kind of long and complicated, but please bare with me!
I am currently renting a 2-bedroom apt month-by-month without a written contract/lease. My roommate left abruptly at the beginning of September, and I ended up paying the entire month's rent (it was tough). I am regretting it now because, while I don't want to take my roommate to court (we had a verbal agreement that 30-days notice was necessary before moving out), I feel like maybe I could have only paid just my share that month and made the landlord figure out the issue with the roommate... Is there anything I can do now that I already paid?
Other issues. I am hoping to move out, hopefully soon. When I first rented the place, I paid a LOT in what I was under the impression were refundable deposits. There was a $300 surety deposit, a $200 cleaning deposit (fee?), and $500 in pet deposits. Maybe I was naive about the word "deposit." Especially with $300 of the pet deposits, though, I was led to believe they were refundable, and the landlord later told me he was mistaken and they were actually non-refundable. So, my question is, do I have any hope of getting this money back when I move out? Is the law on my side in any way? Again, there was no written contract, but I paid with checks and wrote on each check specifically what the payment was for. I guess landlords can charge whatever they want, but $500 in pet deposits seems unreasonable. Since I already paid, do I have any hope of arguing it back? Also, maybe related, maybe not: this place was in horrible condition when I moved in. Nothing vaccuumed, dirt everywhere, etc. I spent a lot of time and effort getting the place much cleaner. It is WAY better than how I found it. And I just really can't see the landlord using the cleaning or pet deposits to actually make the apartment any cleaner. He'll probably just spend it on drugs. Is this really allowed?!
Further issues. I have had a HORRIBLE time finding a new roommate, which I believe is in part due to the shower wall being completely broken away from the wall. It's pretty ugly, and taking a shower involves holding the plastic wall up with a foot or arm at all times. I have been after the landlord to fix this, and he has not for two weeks or so. (When the only light in the bathroom wouldn't work, it honestly took 2+ MONTHS to get fixed, so...yeah.) I feel it isn't fair that next month I will still have to pay the ENTIRE rent by myself, when I could argue that it is the landlord's fault that I have not been able to get a roommate! I have showed the place to five or so people so far, and I feel that the shower being in such a condition is definitely a negative factor. Do I have any right to withhold money? Or only pay "my own" 1/2 of the rent?
Please give me some advice or information! I am trying to deal with college classes right now, and money is currently a VERY big issue for me. I feel like I have been taken advantage of by multiple people (former roommate and landlord), and I really can't continue to afford full rent for another month or longer!
Okay...this is kind of long and complicated, but please bare with me!
I am currently renting a 2-bedroom apt month-by-month without a written contract/lease. My roommate left abruptly at the beginning of September, and I ended up paying the entire month's rent (it was tough). I am regretting it now because, while I don't want to take my roommate to court (we had a verbal agreement that 30-days notice was necessary before moving out), I feel like maybe I could have only paid just my share that month and made the landlord figure out the issue with the roommate... Is there anything I can do now that I already paid?
Other issues. I am hoping to move out, hopefully soon. When I first rented the place, I paid a LOT in what I was under the impression were refundable deposits. There was a $300 surety deposit, a $200 cleaning deposit (fee?), and $500 in pet deposits. Maybe I was naive about the word "deposit." Especially with $300 of the pet deposits, though, I was led to believe they were refundable, and the landlord later told me he was mistaken and they were actually non-refundable. So, my question is, do I have any hope of getting this money back when I move out? Is the law on my side in any way? Again, there was no written contract, but I paid with checks and wrote on each check specifically what the payment was for. I guess landlords can charge whatever they want, but $500 in pet deposits seems unreasonable. Since I already paid, do I have any hope of arguing it back? Also, maybe related, maybe not: this place was in horrible condition when I moved in. Nothing vaccuumed, dirt everywhere, etc. I spent a lot of time and effort getting the place much cleaner. It is WAY better than how I found it. And I just really can't see the landlord using the cleaning or pet deposits to actually make the apartment any cleaner. He'll probably just spend it on drugs. Is this really allowed?!
Further issues. I have had a HORRIBLE time finding a new roommate, which I believe is in part due to the shower wall being completely broken away from the wall. It's pretty ugly, and taking a shower involves holding the plastic wall up with a foot or arm at all times. I have been after the landlord to fix this, and he has not for two weeks or so. (When the only light in the bathroom wouldn't work, it honestly took 2+ MONTHS to get fixed, so...yeah.) I feel it isn't fair that next month I will still have to pay the ENTIRE rent by myself, when I could argue that it is the landlord's fault that I have not been able to get a roommate! I have showed the place to five or so people so far, and I feel that the shower being in such a condition is definitely a negative factor. Do I have any right to withhold money? Or only pay "my own" 1/2 of the rent?
Please give me some advice or information! I am trying to deal with college classes right now, and money is currently a VERY big issue for me. I feel like I have been taken advantage of by multiple people (former roommate and landlord), and I really can't continue to afford full rent for another month or longer!
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