columbuscitizen
New Member
My jurisdiction is: Ohio
Sorry if this is lengthy.
Hi, I live in Columbus, OH. One month ago I moved out of a 2-bedroom/1-bathroom apartment after living there for 2.5 years. I fulfilled the lease terms and was never late on any rent payments, never called maintenance, etc. - I would consider myself a model tenant.
The apartment complex is managed by a large local management company. When I moved out I dropped off the keys after thoroughly cleaning the apartment, at the complex office 2 buildings away. I asked them to go over to the apartment and check out with me and they refused, saying they didn't do things that way. That the company would send a person from the turnover department over to look at things later.
I should mention that I took pictures of every room, the inside of the oven, refrigerator, etc., before I gave the keys back.
I cleaned the apartment to what I considered to be extremely clean condition. I spent 4 hours cleaning out the oven, cleaned out the refrigerator, freezer, wiped down all the windows with Windex, wiped off the mini-blinds, walked around the entire apartment and swept with a broom where the walls and ceiling meet and the baseboards around the floor. I cleaned out the tub, toilet, etc. Vacuumed the floors and mopped the vinyl kitchen and bathroom floor, wiped out all the kitchen cupboards and drawers. I spent 2 days cleaning the place and left it in very good condition.
My security deposit was $99, so I thought I would get probably nothing back or a few bucks back, and that would be it. Some pillows from a bed with no headboard left a small oil stain on the wall, there was some marks here and there on the walls, etc. I broke 1 slat on a set of mini-blinds. In other words I did no major damage and left the place in good condition. I even spackled over all small nail holes from my pictures.
Yesterday I received an invoice from them stating that, above the $99 deposit, I own them an additional $165. And I had to pay it within 15 days or they would put in on my credit report and send it to collection. (I have a very good credit rating.) $265 seems outrageously high to me.
I feel like they are taking advantage because they know that it is expensive to contest the invoice, and that no one wants the threat of a dinged credit rating.
They charged me $175 to repaint the entire apartment.
They charged me $55 to steamclean the carpet
They charged me a $10 Administrative Fee
Then they nickeled and dimed me - charged me to:
clean the bathtub (I cleaned it)
clean part of the oven (I cleaned it SPOTLESS)
replace two sets of mini-blinds (I broke one slat)
replace the furnace filter
replace worn gaskets on the toilet?
charged me to replace a lightbulb because the one I used was too "big."
charged me to replace the cheap plastic handles on a closet door because "they spin and spin and don't tighten." (they never tightened the entire time I lived there.)
I cleaned the inside of the windows, they charged me to clean mildew from the bottom of the window between the glass and the screen, when the window is open. Am I to blame that their windows don't drain the water? I rarely opened the windows.
and a bunch of other spurious charges.
My first question is, what can a landlord charge you for, when you move out? Remember I lived there for 2.5 years, so of course the carpet was worn in the high traffic areas, some minor wall scrapes, etc.
My second question is, what are my options if I disagree with the charges? What if they ruin my credit rating if I contest the bill?
My third questions is, is there a gpvernmental agency where I can ask for help or file a complaint?
I looked the company up on the Better Business Bureau website and it states:
"an officer of XXX Company advised our BBB office in writing that the firm would no longer respond to any matters our office sent them."
Any tips or explanations would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time and your help.
Sorry if this is lengthy.
Hi, I live in Columbus, OH. One month ago I moved out of a 2-bedroom/1-bathroom apartment after living there for 2.5 years. I fulfilled the lease terms and was never late on any rent payments, never called maintenance, etc. - I would consider myself a model tenant.
The apartment complex is managed by a large local management company. When I moved out I dropped off the keys after thoroughly cleaning the apartment, at the complex office 2 buildings away. I asked them to go over to the apartment and check out with me and they refused, saying they didn't do things that way. That the company would send a person from the turnover department over to look at things later.
I should mention that I took pictures of every room, the inside of the oven, refrigerator, etc., before I gave the keys back.
I cleaned the apartment to what I considered to be extremely clean condition. I spent 4 hours cleaning out the oven, cleaned out the refrigerator, freezer, wiped down all the windows with Windex, wiped off the mini-blinds, walked around the entire apartment and swept with a broom where the walls and ceiling meet and the baseboards around the floor. I cleaned out the tub, toilet, etc. Vacuumed the floors and mopped the vinyl kitchen and bathroom floor, wiped out all the kitchen cupboards and drawers. I spent 2 days cleaning the place and left it in very good condition.
My security deposit was $99, so I thought I would get probably nothing back or a few bucks back, and that would be it. Some pillows from a bed with no headboard left a small oil stain on the wall, there was some marks here and there on the walls, etc. I broke 1 slat on a set of mini-blinds. In other words I did no major damage and left the place in good condition. I even spackled over all small nail holes from my pictures.
Yesterday I received an invoice from them stating that, above the $99 deposit, I own them an additional $165. And I had to pay it within 15 days or they would put in on my credit report and send it to collection. (I have a very good credit rating.) $265 seems outrageously high to me.
I feel like they are taking advantage because they know that it is expensive to contest the invoice, and that no one wants the threat of a dinged credit rating.
They charged me $175 to repaint the entire apartment.
They charged me $55 to steamclean the carpet
They charged me a $10 Administrative Fee
Then they nickeled and dimed me - charged me to:
clean the bathtub (I cleaned it)
clean part of the oven (I cleaned it SPOTLESS)
replace two sets of mini-blinds (I broke one slat)
replace the furnace filter
replace worn gaskets on the toilet?
charged me to replace a lightbulb because the one I used was too "big."
charged me to replace the cheap plastic handles on a closet door because "they spin and spin and don't tighten." (they never tightened the entire time I lived there.)
I cleaned the inside of the windows, they charged me to clean mildew from the bottom of the window between the glass and the screen, when the window is open. Am I to blame that their windows don't drain the water? I rarely opened the windows.
and a bunch of other spurious charges.
My first question is, what can a landlord charge you for, when you move out? Remember I lived there for 2.5 years, so of course the carpet was worn in the high traffic areas, some minor wall scrapes, etc.
My second question is, what are my options if I disagree with the charges? What if they ruin my credit rating if I contest the bill?
My third questions is, is there a gpvernmental agency where I can ask for help or file a complaint?
I looked the company up on the Better Business Bureau website and it states:
"an officer of XXX Company advised our BBB office in writing that the firm would no longer respond to any matters our office sent them."
Any tips or explanations would be appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time and your help.
