Comments on: 10 Reasons Landlords Keep Deposits Unfairly

By: Moira

Moira — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 02:40:02 +0000

I wish landlords knew the difference between normal wear and tear and “damages.” Landlords are always trying to get tenants to pay for items that are considered normal wear and tear such as wear patterns in carpet, non excessive nail holes, etc. Good list, thanks for sharing.

By: Rusty

Rusty — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 00:20:03 +0000

True! Taking pics is best practice. Plus if you plan to file a complaint you can upload those images to the complaint. Its hard to dispute an image.

By: Fabiola

Fabiola — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 22:00:05 +0000

I also suggest taking pictures before and after if you can. It can help document pre-existing problems that often get passed on. I bet most landlords intentionally charge for certain items that they never fix just to make an extra buck. How many times has the landlord charged someone for the same stain on a carpet that was caused by a tenant several times previous..

By: Alma

Alma — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 19:40:08 +0000

I’m surprised paint didn’t make the list. I seem to always get dinged for re-painting.

By: Kathi

Kathi — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 17:20:03 +0000

Wow! I had no idea you could file a deposit dispute with the RPA. What a cool way to turn the tables on the landlord.

By: Merlin

Merlin — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 15:00:03 +0000

Yes! You can file a complaint even if its been a year or more. Even if you don’t get your money back its good to file an RPA complaint so that other tenants will know not to rent from the landlord. … you’ll probably get your deposit immediately refunded after the landlord gets the notice from the RPA. I’ve filed a complaint before assuming my landlord would not respond. He did. I got a refund a couple of weeks later.

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 12:20:03 +0000

I wonder if you can still file a complaint about a deposit refund after a few months? I just moved a few months ago and got a bill for $200. That was $200 above and beyond my $500 deposit he kept. It was completely bogus the charges he drummed up.

By: Samantha

Samantha — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 10:00:03 +0000

I lived at Sartoga Springs Apartment Villa and they love charging for several of the items listed above. My favorite was the $25 charge per light bulb install. I think property managers find creative ways to keep deposits.