roomiefromhell
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana
I received the damages bill after the lease expired on my apartment back in November. I actually vacated the apartment 3 months prior because the living conditions were abhorrent. I lived with a couple who had three cats. The pets were not on the lease, not good I know. I shouldn't have let them have pets without telling the leasing office. I allowed it because they verbally assured me that they would pay any damages caused by their animals. As my relationship with them started to sour over the course of the one year lease, I continued to be on them about changing the litter box and protecting the carpet. They continued to assure me that they would hold themselves responsible for the damages to the carpet, etc. I attempted to get this in writing numerous times, to no avail of course. Hindsight, I should've had them sign something before I signed the lease.
I am now stuck with a $1400 bill, all of which are due to pet damages minus about $80 in cleaning fees which I agree to pay. If I don't pay, this goes to collections in 14 days and of course, my roommates are nowhere to be found. I do, however, have an itemized copy of the bill, our lease agreement, numerous text messages in an effort to contact them, as well as several witnesses to our verbal good faith agreement. Furthermore, I know where both of them work.
If it comes to taking them to court, there is no way they could deny that they were the owners of said pets, nor can they deny that the carpet needed to be replaced due to pet damage as it says "pet damage/odor/urine" on the itemized bill from the leasing office.
I'm not worried about collecting as my mother is a paralegal for a collections company and my father is a lawyer. Both feel I have a strong case. I plan to hand deliver them a letter informing them of the bill and stating that they either need to pay it, or I will do so to prevent action being taken against me. Should they fail to pay up, I plan on filing.
So do I have a good case? What other evidence can I get against them? One of them is a loose cannon and I'm sure that when I give him this letter, he's gonna say all sorts of stuff. Can I record conversations (on my phone or take video) and submit them as evidence? I'm also fairly certain that I can represent myself better in court than the two of them.
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana
I received the damages bill after the lease expired on my apartment back in November. I actually vacated the apartment 3 months prior because the living conditions were abhorrent. I lived with a couple who had three cats. The pets were not on the lease, not good I know. I shouldn't have let them have pets without telling the leasing office. I allowed it because they verbally assured me that they would pay any damages caused by their animals. As my relationship with them started to sour over the course of the one year lease, I continued to be on them about changing the litter box and protecting the carpet. They continued to assure me that they would hold themselves responsible for the damages to the carpet, etc. I attempted to get this in writing numerous times, to no avail of course. Hindsight, I should've had them sign something before I signed the lease.
I am now stuck with a $1400 bill, all of which are due to pet damages minus about $80 in cleaning fees which I agree to pay. If I don't pay, this goes to collections in 14 days and of course, my roommates are nowhere to be found. I do, however, have an itemized copy of the bill, our lease agreement, numerous text messages in an effort to contact them, as well as several witnesses to our verbal good faith agreement. Furthermore, I know where both of them work.
If it comes to taking them to court, there is no way they could deny that they were the owners of said pets, nor can they deny that the carpet needed to be replaced due to pet damage as it says "pet damage/odor/urine" on the itemized bill from the leasing office.
I'm not worried about collecting as my mother is a paralegal for a collections company and my father is a lawyer. Both feel I have a strong case. I plan to hand deliver them a letter informing them of the bill and stating that they either need to pay it, or I will do so to prevent action being taken against me. Should they fail to pay up, I plan on filing.
So do I have a good case? What other evidence can I get against them? One of them is a loose cannon and I'm sure that when I give him this letter, he's gonna say all sorts of stuff. Can I record conversations (on my phone or take video) and submit them as evidence? I'm also fairly certain that I can represent myself better in court than the two of them.