Security deposit return

[kgad]

I have been renting from a landlord in Indiana, agreeing in the last 4 months of rent that he could display the house as it was for sale. This required me to clean and have my two dogs out of the house whenver someone came around to inspect. After moving out, the landlord advised that on three separate occasions he was refunding the full deposit of $900. I received a letter the other day saying that he was not going to refund any as the house was left untidy both while it was being shown and when I left. he said the lawn had damage to it from the dogs (dead patches from toileting - not excessive, no holes etc) which would cost him $840 to repair. I only took a video of the outside and inside of the house when I left to prove it was clean, not of the lawn - is it worth taking to small claims court? At no point while I was there, or after I left were there any complaints about the lawn, or of the house being untidy. He did sell the house and I was asked to leave two days before the end of the lease for the new buyer to move in - preventing a mutual inspection.

 

[dj1]

YOU could Consider it a cost of owning a DAWG!

But since you moved out 2 days before the end of your lease and a new owner moved in...... the landlord could NOT have spent any money in those 2 days to fix the property, then sue him in court and let him show the judge his cancelled checks!

If it was really clean then ask the new owner if they can show up in court for you and tell the judge it was clean, that should make you WIN!

[Edited by dj1 on 06-21-2001 at 08:15 AM]