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Utiliy allowance and security deposit

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aerithsbooks

Junior Member
Florida


Hi there... My husband and I just moved out of a house that we'd been renting for three years. We were very good tenants, yet the landlord is now claiming that there was $1,200 worth of damage done, and is keeping our deposit. $700 of that is for installation of wooden blinds, when the blinds that are cat messed up were cheap Wal-Mart blinds. I don't think there is anything we can do about the deposit, seeing as we didn't take pictures when we first moved in like we should have. But, after looking thoroughly at our lease, we see that we were supposed to be receiving a utility allowance, a $50 credit for the water (which we have been paying for the three years that we lived there.) My question is, is there any legal action that can be taken on our part to get our money back? If he weren't being so shady we probably wouldn't bother, but the way he is trying to take advantage of us is just absurd.
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Florida


Hi there... My husband and I just moved out of a house that we'd been renting for three years. We were very good tenants, yet the landlord is now claiming that there was $1,200 worth of damage done, and is keeping our deposit. $700 of that is for installation of wooden blinds, when the blinds that are cat messed up were cheap Wal-Mart blinds. I don't think there is anything we can do about the deposit, seeing as we didn't take pictures when we first moved in like we should have. But, after looking thoroughly at our lease, we see that we were supposed to be receiving a utility allowance, a $50 credit for the water (which we have been paying for the three years that we lived there.) My question is, is there any legal action that can be taken on our part to get our money back? If he weren't being so shady we probably wouldn't bother, but the way he is trying to take advantage of us is just absurd.
Sue the bad guy in small claims court.
 

aerithsbooks

Junior Member
Sue the bad guy in small claims court.

That was my first thought too, I just want to get some info on whether or not we'd have a good case before we do... We both work full time, and I'm up for the challenge, just don't want to spend the money and take time off of work if we have no case.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
That was my first thought too, I just want to get some info on whether or not we'd have a good case before we do... We both work full time, and I'm up for the challenge, just don't want to spend the money and take time off of work if we have no case.
There are problems for you. The max you could reasonably hope to recover (in my opinion) would be less than year's worth of utility "credit" due to the statute of limitations.
 

aerithsbooks

Junior Member
There are problems for you. The max you could reasonably hope to recover (in my opinion) would be less than year's worth of utility "credit" due to the statute of limitations.
That's my worry. Even if we were able to get a years worth, it would only be $600. The deposit was $500... After court costs and time off of work, I'm not sure if it would be worth it. Unfortunately, since this landlord is so... Shady, to put it nicely. But thank you for the fast responses :)
 

STEPHAN

Senior Member
Blinds are usually depreciated over 3 years. So after 3 years there is no value anymore in blinds.
 

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