So I live in San Jose, CA and my roommate and I moved out of our old apartment on May 21st. We properly let our landlord know that have vacated the unit and asked for a walk through through phone. We unfortunately missed our walk through deadline therefore, we didn't do one. We asked that since we can't do a walk through if there was anything else we needed to do. He told us that we just need to leave the keys and wait 21 days til the security deposit check can be mailed out. So we left with that in mind. It is now June 13th and we still haven't gotten out check yet. We emailed him yesterday and he replied back today stating the cleaning fees that he deducted from the deposit. The original amount of the security deposit was $800. He charged us $545 for cleaning and repairs. He wrote that we had an excessive amount of dust clinging onto everything in the apartment and that it was more than he's ever seen. He said that the cabinets needed to be cleaned and there was grease on the stove and around it that needed to be cleaned also. Both bathrooms needed to be cleaned. A mark in one of the bedrooms that needed to be primed and painted. Carpet was shampooed. He charged us $250 for cleaning. $200 for primer and paint for one room. $95 for carpet shampoo. Now, I understand that he needed to clean the grease and cabinets and stuff for the kitchen and carpet shampooing, but to charge us that much for dust and a mark on the wall? I don't understand. I read in the California law that he can't charge for normal wear and tear and isn't dust part of wear and tear?
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