Landlord Won't Return Security Deposit

[Dazeoff]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? State of Florida. I'm writing on behalf of my granddaughter. One year ago she & her husband rented a 4 room apartment for $975.00 per month in a 3 unit complex located in Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale area).

At the time of signing the lease she paid a total of $2,925 for the first, last and a month's rent security deposit.

Only after leaving this apartment last month was it realized that the landlord had tapped the electric supply in her unit to run the coin operated washer and dryers located in the same 3 unit building complex. According to Florida Power & Light she had used over $175.00 of electric service for two weeks when no one was in the apartment during the daylight hours. As a key note there are only 3 electric meters for this building further indicating that there isn't any dedicated power service to the exterior lighting and tenant conveniences.

After repeated attempts to have her $975.00 security deposit returned her former landlord sent her a check for the total amount of $100 via certified mail.

As I live on the opposite coast of Florida I have every intention of following through to assist my granddaughter's in obtaining her full security refund. The apartment unit did not sustain and damages and was left in a cleaned state.

My first indication is to assist her with filing the required paperwork for the issuance of a summons for the landlord to appear in Small Claims Court. I do believe that she would prevail.

Secondly I'd like to do some further research with Florida Power & Light regarding the landlord's failure to properly have an electric meter for additional services.

Now for my question(s). Am I looking in the right direction for satisfaction or are there other options available to bring closure to the unrefunded balance of $875.00.

Thanks for any assistance. Your comments would be most appreciated.

Dazeoff

 

[FarmerJ]

D you wrote `Secondly I'd like to do some further research with Florida Power & Light regarding the landlord's failure to properly have an electric meter for additional services` it is not the electric co responsibility for adding another meter , it would have been up to the LL to do this and I can tell you a dryer alone for two occupied units could not have added that much to the electric , clothes washer , electric dryer and electric hot water could have BUT not just a dryer for only two weeks of use. Since they have already moved out they will have to sue in small claims court , IF they want to bring up the electric use for laundry and the lease did not say the laundry room was connected to the meter they paid charges on they can try to get the electric co to issue a non identifying statement that only list how many meters they have at the building with out account names or details like who, they can give out a history of use for the time your family member lived there. and they can offer a rough estimate based on body count of the entire structure what the cost of running the laundry equipment might be. but there is no way to know for sure how small claims court will go, they can file based on the deposit money held back and they could file estimated use amounts for the laundry during the time they lived there but there is no way to know if the court would allow it. The more info they have for court the better the odds are they might convince the court they are entitled to full dep and electric estimated use for laundry. do they have pics of the apts general condition on move out?

 

[Searchertwin]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? State of Florida. I'm writing on behalf of my granddaughter. One year ago she & her husband rented a 4 room apartment for $975.00 per month in a 3 unit complex located in Broward County (Ft. Lauderdale area).

At the time of signing the lease she paid a total of $2,925 for the first, last and a month's rent security deposit.

Only after leaving this apartment last month was it realized that the landlord had tapped the electric supply in her unit to run the coin operated washer and dryers located in the same 3 unit building complex. According to Florida Power & Light she had used over $175.00 of electric service for two weeks when no one was in the apartment during the daylight hours. As a key note there are only 3 electric meters for this building further indicating that there isn't any dedicated power service to the exterior lighting and tenant conveniences.

After repeated attempts to have her $975.00 security deposit returned her former landlord sent her a check for the total amount of $100 via certified mail.

As I live on the opposite coast of Florida I have every intention of following through to assist my granddaughter's in obtaining her full security refund. The apartment unit did not sustain and damages and was left in a cleaned state.

My first indication is to assist her with filing the required paperwork for the issuance of a summons for the landlord to appear in Small Claims Court. I do believe that she would prevail.

Secondly I'd like to do some further research with Florida Power & Light regarding the landlord's failure to properly have an electric meter for additional services.

Now for my question(s). Am I looking in the right direction for satisfaction or are there other options available to bring closure to the unrefunded balance of $875.00.

Thanks for any assistance. Your comments would be most appreciated.

Dazeoff

You need to have them send a reg letter to LL for a detail list of the amount that was not refunded to you..do not cash the check that they sent until you get a detailed list. Living in a place for over two months, you be surprised how dirty a place can get. What is clean to you is not clean to me. I had a renter that rented two months, she was a heavy smoker, within those two months you could tell where pictures were hung, blinds that turn brown.....sewage back up the night she left...you also be amazed on things like did they clean the hair from the sink stopper? Did they clean behind the stove? Did they clean the stove fan? Was filters replace? Gutter clean? Was light fixtures taken down and clean? Need I go on?? You indicated that there was no damages. Did they hang pictures? All the doors, cabinets, mirrors, intact? It could be numerous things. So before I go running to small claim court, I would wait till I got an itemized letter from LL. Than go from there. Pictures would help if you have them.