Property manager charging to re-clean!

[marsharoni]

I'm in Virginia.

Sorry that my question is long. We recently came to the end of our lease and had the carpets professionally cleaned as stated in the lease. Our property manager recommended a carpet company who quoted us at under $200. We decided to go with a different company who did the job for $160 and guaranteed their work. I called the real estate company to schedule a walk through appointment but I could never get through and when I did they would tell me they were too busy and to just leave our house keys on the kitchen counter and they would call us when they could find the time to inspect the house. We never got a call from them.

When we received our deposit back we found that they deducted $320.04 to have the carpets cleaned. When I called and asked why they would need to reclean the carpets after I had them done I was told the carpets were so filthy that if the owner of the house had seen them he would have the carpets replaced in the whole house.

I have contacted our carpet company and they couldn't believe our property manager's statements because the carpets were very white, and clean. They called our property manager and gave them their testimony. When I tried asking the property manager she got very nasty and rude over the phone and got very defensive about how she doesn't get any money from this so she's not making things up. I have also contacted the actual homeowner who was not aware of any of this. The homeowner has been to the house while we were living there and he said the carpets did not appear to be damaged or soiled.

The homeowner said he would contact the property manager to find out what is going on, but I want to know what else I can do to dispute this matter? I was not even called to come to the inspection like they said they would. When I asked the property manager if she had pictures of these awful stains in the carpets she laughed and said "No, I don't have pictures!" as if it were a ridiculous question. I have many pictures not OF the carpets but the carpets can be seen clearly in the background and they are in perfect condition. The company she used is the same company that quoted me under $200 yet they charged over $300 this time after the carpets had already been cleaned. I can understand if we left the house filthy but we cleaned it perfectly, and it was in better shape than when we originally moved in.

We were never late with any payments, never caused problems, or broke any rules in the lease, but they are treating us as if we have caused problems for the whole year we leased through them. Are we making a big deal of this situation or do we have the right to be upset and how should we handle this situation?What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

 

[Who's Liable?]

I'm in Virginia.

Sorry that my question is long. We recently came to the end of our lease and had the carpets professionally cleaned as stated in the lease. Our property manager recommended a carpet company who quoted us at under $200. We decided to go with a different company who did the job for $160 and guaranteed their work. I called the real estate company to schedule a walk through appointment but I could never get through and when I did they would tell me they were too busy and to just leave our house keys on the kitchen counter and they would call us when they could find the time to inspect the house. We never got a call from them.

When we received our deposit back we found that they deducted $320.04 to have the carpets cleaned. When I called and asked why they would need to reclean the carpets after I had them done I was told the carpets were so filthy that if the owner of the house had seen them he would have the carpets replaced in the whole house.

I have contacted our carpet company and they couldn't believe our property manager's statements because the carpets were very white, and clean. They called our property manager and gave them their testimony. When I tried asking the property manager she got very nasty and rude over the phone and got very defensive about how she doesn't get any money from this so she's not making things up. I have also contacted the actual homeowner who was not aware of any of this. The homeowner has been to the house while we were living there and he said the carpets did not appear to be damaged or soiled.

The homeowner said he would contact the property manager to find out what is going on, but I want to know what else I can do to dispute this matter? I was not even called to come to the inspection like they said they would. When I asked the property manager if she had pictures of these awful stains in the carpets she laughed and said "No, I don't have pictures!" as if it were a ridiculous question. I have many pictures not OF the carpets but the carpets can be seen clearly in the background and they are in perfect condition. The company she used is the same company that quoted me under $200 yet they charged over $300 this time after the carpets had already been cleaned. I can understand if we left the house filthy but we cleaned it perfectly, and it was in better shape than when we originally moved in.

We were never late with any payments, never caused problems, or broke any rules in the lease, but they are treating us as if we have caused problems for the whole year we leased through them. Are we making a big deal of this situation or do we have the right to be upset and how should we handle this situation?What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

Send a demand letter via CRR to the property management demanding your deposit minus any normal wear and tear. Remind them failure to return the deposit as outlined in your states LL/T laws will result in legal action.

 

[marsharoni]

Thank you for your reply. What happens after that? She's digging her heals in to the "fact" that the carpets were hideously filthy in her eyes. I had a pet, and she's claiming my pet ruined the carpets. I think if the carpets were that soiled the carpet company I used would have tried making that extra money themselves by cleaning it, but they walked in and said it was a piece of cake. They said yes there were tiny stains, but nothing they've never dealt with before and that the carpets were in beautiful shape.

I guess my question is once I send the demand letter what happens? She can just throw it out and roll her eyes like the way she's handled our phone conversations? I've written to the BBB, but I just don't know what else to do if she keeps brushing me off and insisting "by her word" that the carpets were heavily stained and that she "made the decision as the property manager" to have them re-cleaned.

When a storm blew in and the inside walls were water damaged she didn't make an executive decision by informing the homeowners. When the garage door suddenly stopped working she didn't make an executive decision to inform the homeowners. (In fact, she just told me to wiggle the sensors and see if it starts working again.) She claims that no one would have rented the house with the carpets in the condition we left them in, but we had several agents show the house and all the prospective tenants were happy with the way everything looked, and even complimented on how clean everything was, and how nice everything smelled. They specifically stated that most houses with pets didn't look or smell as nice.

I received a copy of the invoice from her carpet company. The original price was $400 and then they subtracted a discount for the house being empty.

 

[Some Random Guy]

at happens after that? She's digging her heals in to the "fact" that the carpets were hideously filthy in her eyes. I had a pet, and she's claiming my pet ruined the carpets.

Next step would be to wait to hear back from the homeowner and then if you're still not satisfied, file a small calims suit against the homeowner (not property manager) to get your deposit back. Be sure to bring your photos, receipts, and a letter from the cleaning company staing their opinion of the condition of the carpets after cleaning.

 

[Who's Liable?]

Next step would be to wait to hear back from the homeowner and then if you're still not satisfied, file a small calims suit against the homeowner (not property manager) to get your deposit back. Be sure to bring your photos, receipts, and a letter from the cleaning company staing their opinion of the condition of the carpets after cleaning.

I would also include the property manager as it seems that is where the problem is

 

[Some Random Guy]

I would also include the property manager as it seems that is where the problem is

But its the owner who has the security deposit. The tenant needs to sue the person holding the money. The property manager is acting on behalf of the owner who has the final say in returning the deposit.

I don't see how a court would hold the property manager responsible to pay back a deposit that they do not have.

This is not a case of negligence on the part of the property manager. It is a contract (lease) issue where the owner has retained money that the poster thinks that they should not have.