Damage Bill - Rebuttal Advice

[Fl_renter]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wa

There has been 2 other threads about the issues we had with the landlord, however, I now need advice on what to pay and how to word the letter saying what we aren't willing to pay.

Damage List
Carpet Replacement $623.35
Installation $348
.. Carpet was 9yrs old when we moved out. We have this information in a text sent by the landlord. Should we pay 1/10th? He wants the full amount (of course) and says the previous carpeted should have lasted 15yrs or more.
(https://forum.freeadvice.com/landlord-tenant-issues-42/yard-work-who-pays-carpet-replacement-560481.html)

Paint $231 (no labor)
..The list doesn't specify what was painted.

Plumbing
Broken Faucet Line outside of house $230.15
..He says he turned it on and water leaked into the basement, there was a break in the line that needed to be fixed.

Yard work $250
.. There is no yard work mentioned in the lease. He paid this because he wasn't happy with the "weeds" and decided to have the yard cleared of all the bushes and trees. We only mowed and trimmed while living there.

Ceiling $2449.42 for water damage
.. We had a leak in May 11 from old parts in the toilet. He came to look at it, part were replaced. He never looked at the ceiling during that time.
(https://forum.freeadvice.com/landlord-tenant-issues-42/water-damage-leak-563333.html)

He is asking a total of $4192.08. I

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Wa

There has been 2 other threads about the issues we had with the landlord, however, I now need advice on what to pay and how to word the letter saying what we aren't willing to pay.

Damage List
Carpet Replacement $623.35
Installation $348
.. Carpet was 9yrs old when we moved out. We have this information in a text sent by the landlord. Should we pay 1/10th? He wants the full amount (of course) and says the previous carpeted should have lasted 15yrs or more.
(https://forum.freeadvice.com/landlord-tenant-issues-42/yard-work-who-pays-carpet-replacement-560481.html)

Paint $231 (no labor)
..The list doesn't specify what was painted.

Plumbing
Broken Faucet Line outside of house $230.15
..He says he turned it on and water leaked into the basement, there was a break in the line that needed to be fixed.

Yard work $250
.. There is no yard work mentioned in the lease. He paid this because he wasn't happy with the "weeds" and decided to have the yard cleared of all the bushes and trees. We only mowed and trimmed while living there.

Ceiling $2449.42 for water damage
.. We had a leak in May 11 from old parts in the toilet. He came to look at it, part were replaced. He never looked at the ceiling during that time.
(https://forum.freeadvice.com/landlord-tenant-issues-42/water-damage-leak-563333.html)

He is asking a total of $4192.08. I

**A: do more of your own homework

 

[Fl_renter]

I have done homework. I am waiting on another call to JAG for advice as I needed more information for them. The carpet is the one place that I can't seem to get an answer. No one has a definitive for the "life" of a carpet.

As it stands, I would believe that we owe him less than $500 but I guess that's not going to happen without a court date.

 

[CSO286]

I have done homework. I am waiting on another call to JAG for advice as I needed more information for them. The carpet is the one place that I can't seem to get an answer. No one has a definitive for the "life" of a carpet.

As it stands, I would believe that we owe him less than $500 but I guess that's not going to happen without a court date.

Do a few searches and then average out the numbers, figure for depreciation, and go from there.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080705192323AAmOdvL]How long should a carpet in a house last? - Yahoo! Answers

 

[Fl_renter]

This is what I came up with so far. I think it might sound like I am trying to be "smart" but I don't want it to be too familiar or buddy-buddy sounding. This guy has already threatened us several times with calling his lawyer. Did I provide too much information? Do you think what we are offering to pay is fair, should we offer more for the carpet, 6/15ths since he believe the other carpet should have lasted 15yrs?

**************....
You stated that the previous carpet was 9yrs old when we moved out. Through many searched of the internet about this matter, the consensus is that useful carpet life in a rental is 8-10yrs. We are willing to pay for 1/10th the cost of the replacement carpet, equaling $97.14.

We agree that we are responsible for the need to paint the living room due to the touch up paint not being the same color as the original paint on the wall. We also agree that the room immediately at the bottom of the stairs in the basement had walls that were stained due to excessive dirt. We are not willing to concede the need for painting other areas of the house. We were asked to make repairs and to touch up the areas that we repaired due to damage caused by us (i.e. nail holes). We did not repair any areas that were already damaged when we moved in. You approved all of the touch ups done except the area in the living room. We are willing to pay for 4 gallons of paint to cover the areas that were not to your standard at the time we moved out, equaling $120.

We have no issue with paying $230.15 for the broken pipe/faucet that needed to be replaced.

We will not agree to pay $250 for yard work. During the time we lived in the house, we mowed and trim the yard. I also willing worked on specific areas of the yard when you requested it, such as trimming trees in the font, side yard. You informed me, in August of 2011, that you were hiring someone to do yard work. Our lease did not specify that we were responsible for any yard work and it is our position that you are responsible for any work that was not agreed upon by both parties.

We do not agree to pay for the water damage to the ceiling. In May of 2011, we had a toilet leak in the 2nd floor bathroom. We called you the same day that we became aware of the leak and you came out to inspect it. You ok’d the replacement of the seals and bolts inside of the toilet tank, which had corroded over time. The water damage was caused by the normal wear and tear of the toilet and not by our neglect. We are not responsible for damage caused by to the house due to normal wear and tear.