Just inspected my rental property for the first time in two yrs.

[Rick Lee]

And it wasn't pretty. Tenants moved out a week ago. They claim to have shampooed the carpets, flushed the hot water heater and ordered a new case of a/c filters. House looked like they packed the last box in the truck and then drove away. I don't know how they could have shampooed the rugs, since they obviously didn't even vacuum them first. Coins, dust bunnies, etc. were everywhere. Garage was full of leaves and junk they left behind. They didn't trash the place, but obviously made no effort to even minimally clean it. Two years ago I ordered a case of a/c filters and had it shipped to them. That box was in the garage today with the 04/08 decal on it and only two of the filters were missing. I'm guessing they hardly touched it. I have to review the lease language when I get home next week, but I'm pretty sure it says house is to be left as they found it. It looked new when we left it two years ago and I have their initials and signatures on the walk-thru checklist.

I'm having my former cleaning lady shine the place up tomorrow and will certainly take her fee out of their deposit. But I'm wondering how much of the carpets I can claim against their deposit. $1600 is their deposit and I don't know that I want to replace carpets for a rental property. They sure left some stains behind. Not a lot of wear and tear, but lots of stains. Gonna have quite a chat with them next week. Got photos of it all too.

[nostatic]

How long were they in the place? Normal wear and tear happens over time. If they have been there for years, I don't think that replacing the carpet or at least cleaning it on your dime is out of line. And are they required to change AC filters? I wouldn't think of that - I rent. Strikes me as a maintenance issue and therefore the landlord should be reponsible.

The tenant should leave it clean (I have a cleaning crew come in after I move), but imho some stains, picture mount holes, etc are to be expected if they've been there for any length of time.

[89911]

I agree. You can only clean a carpet a few times before it looks like crap. If it was my choice, I would have as little carpeting in a rental as possible.

[Rick Lee]

Well, if they had said they didn't want to change the a/c filters, that'd have been another story. But it would have been way more inconvenience for them if I had someone else do it once a month. And there was no need for them to lie to me about it. The lease says that tenants are responsible for the first $50 of any service call. When the place needed a new garage door opener, I sent a guy out there who charged $275 for it all. Tenant said she mailed him $50 (why not give it to him when they were all there together?), so I should only have to send the other $225. Installer said he never got her check. Uh huh. So I paid the whole thing.

They also tried to claim the husband was being transferred to TX by his job, so that allowed them to break the lease and not pay the rest of it. That was a total lie and they were dumb enough to post all about his new job on their public blog. I called his previous job and they said he'd left to go be a new account manager for XX company in TX. Doesn't sound like a transfer to me. They didn't argue at all when I said I knew it wasn't a transfer and so they were on the hook for April.

They say you never really know a tenant until the day they move out. Their lies are pretty insulting and the condition in which they left the place is gonna be a headache and cost some money.

FWIW, where I'm renting now, I had to pay a $400 non-refundable cleaning deposit. So I don't feel any obligation to clean the place. But that's not the case with my own house I'm renting out.

[motion]

Rick, I'm with you... I am terrified about doing inspections while tenants are still in the home. I know I won't like what I see, so I prefer to stick my head in the sand. Your house doesn't sound too bad. But..... you will be surprised what a judge will deem to be normal wear and tear. You can always try to withhold funds from the deposit, but if the tenants decided to sue you in small claims court, I can tell you that the judge will usually be on the poor tenant's side. You're the wealthy landlord, after all. Its just how these things work. My advice: suck it up, put some cheap-a$$ new carpet in and clean the place up. For sure, subtract the cleaning fee, but that's really all you can expect to keep.

[stomachmonkey]

Whenever I've rented a place I've taken pictures and noted in writing to rental agent every stain, hole, blemish etc...

I've left every place in the same if not better shape than I found it.

So when you rent it to the next person you need to take pictures and document every blemish. Attach copies to the lease and make it clear that you expect it to be left that way or it will come out of the security. After all that's what security is for.

[fastfredracing]

Sorry to hear, but be thankful, I have had a home totally destroyed by tenants. It took me six months of work to put it back together, and I had to clean some of the nastiest stuff I have ever seen. Landlording is not for the weak. We keep carpet to a minumum. bedrooms, and maybe one living area. Tile and linoleum are your friend.
All tenants lie. I have heard some great stories. It kind of sucks , but this business will harden you a little. I have some good tenants right now, but I have been through some woozies .
Good advice above, put in some berber carpet that will wear well, and in a color that will not show stains so much, fresh coat of paint where needed, and chalk it up to operating costs.

[motion]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Sorry to hear, but be thankful, I have had a home totally destroyed by tenants. It took me six months of work to put it back together, and I had to clean some of the nastiest stuff I have ever seen. Landlording is not for the weak. We keep carpet to a minumum. bedrooms, and maybe one living area. Tile and linoleum are your friend.
All tenants lie. I have heard some great stories. It kind of sucks , but this business will harden you a little. I have some good tenants right now, but I have been through some woozies .
Good advice above, put in some berber carpet that will wear well, and in a color that will not show stains so much, fresh coat of paint where needed, and chalk it up to operating costs.

I put in the cheap office type carpet in a medium brown color. Its dirt cheap and nearly impossible to wear out. If they do stain it up, its cheap to replace.

[Rick Lee]

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do other than keep $150 for the cleaning fee and the $50 they lied about paying to the garage door installer, that I paid for them. I'm sure they won't sue, as they now live in TX and the $1400 left of the deposit wouldn't be worth it. I mean, instead of replacing a smoke detector battery, they took it down and left it on the kitchen counter. Instead of telling me the doorbell needed replacing, they bought a new switch and taped it where it would normally have snapped into place, had they not had it upside down. How do you account for this kind of BS in keeping some more of the deposit?

I need to review the lease and checklist when I get home. Since they're still on the hook for April, I wouldn't be surprised if they just didn't pay and exepect me to keep the whole deposit.

[mossguy]

As Fred said: Landlording is not for the weak. Chalk it up to operating costs because that's what it is. After you have done this for awhile your expectations and reality will be more in line, and your stress level will go down.

Best,
Tom

[Scuba Steve]

Interesting read. I'm going to be looking to rent out my place in a few years. How would you compare handling this on your own vs. using a property management company?

[Cdnone1]

It sound like you have enough from their deposit to cover all your damages and out of pocket costs.
Consider yourself very luck. Write up a bill for what you think they owe you within the terms of your lease and move on.
Some of us have been out of pocket for damages well in excess of the deposit
Steve

[bell]

My wife and I are a landlords dream, we always leave our rented home nice than it was when we moved in........I'm moving into a new pad tomorrow and the previous tenants were slobs with a dog.....I spent the evening with a rug doctor cleaning all the varpets, while the wife clean from floor to wall to everywhere.....
Normally the landlord would "get it ready" for a new tenant but I used that to my advantage to get a better price.
We've been in our current place for almost 2 years and with the exception of a few small spot on the carpet its cleaner then when we took posession......there was a ton of drama with my landlord/boss over the past 2 months too, I would've said f it and made sure it was a mess for the bs I was put through (long story, bill knows) but that's just not my style......
The new place I'll be going through by updating the fixtures, some paint, and just general maintanance which wasn't performed......its called a home, some people don't respect that, imo I'd keep their whole deposit.......make them fight for it if they want it back......they won't get more than that amount if they do.
I spent a few weeks with my lawyer studying lanlord/tenant law.......being they left early and left the house in poor condition you will have the upper hand, had you tried to evict them or they finished the term of the lease the ball would be in their court imo.......

[TechnoViking]

Me and my buddies rented a sweet Victorian-style house in Boulder during college. We rented it from a property management company that my GF worked for and she hooked us up with a good deal on the rent.

I heard when we moved out the owner showed up to see the place....and she cried.

[Gogar]

I agree with some of the other folks, Rick. They're tenants, not housesitters.

Dust bunnies and carpet stains and bags of trash aren't a problem. Yes, they're not too considerate.

If a tenant stole your toilet or something, that's a problem.


I do think it's perfectly fair to take a cleaning fee out of the deposit, though.

[BGCarrera32]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do other than keep $150 for the cleaning fee and the $50 they lied about paying to the garage door installer, that I paid for them. I'm sure they won't sue, as they now live in TX and the $1400 left of the deposit wouldn't be worth it.

Well stupid as my comment may sound, if you're sure they won't sue, why not find a way to keep a good chunk of it? Just enough to justify your conscience and just enough to not get sued. Refund half? What is your time worth in farting around with repairs? Part of it goes with the territory obviously but I might find a way to articulate X, Y, & Z issues, make them defensable and keep half ($700).

I dunno...? Just a thought. Seems to me like letting them off the hook at $200 might be a bit light.

[MT930]

Welcome to landlord land , it's sometimes a sad commentary on people. Commercial tenants are not much better.

However going back to your former home is aways disappointing. The abused commercial spaces one can get used to after a few turns.

If your going to take deposit money document, document, document. Them take it.

Either you get used to it or you don't. It's almost always a shocker the fist few times.

[Tobra]

Did the place need to be cleaned when they moved in, no, didn't think so. If they are on the hook until the end of April, keep that much at least. My last tenants moved out early, did not even consider giving them their deposit back. For a place in another state, get a management company, I can't stress strongly enough how much better that will be for you.

[RWebb]

who cares why they left early? they owe for the rest of the term + cleaning + any other damages

be sure to photo everything

[chocolatelab]

rick

Tom and Fred are leading you on the correct path. Renting a home/homes is frustrating but at the end of the day you will be the winner.

anything it takes to get that unit ready for rerent comes out of that deposit. after 2 years there is wear and tear that cant be charged for. Paint touch up......charge for. Repaint because the paint is looking old...dont think it flys.

If i am understanding the post, they left early. Minus missing rent on the deposit as well.

In cali we have a certain amount of time to send them an itemization of the costs and a refund if its due.

I wouldnt feel bad sending them an itemization as well as an invoice if it went past your deposit. if they jumped ship on the lease and their story is fishy i would most certainly keep the money plus send a bill for back rent. You might even get frisky and sue them for the balance of the lease.

In the end I think you are actually looking pretty good. deposit covers repairs and cleanup, new renters and off you go.

i have a few rental properties and its an adventure daily.

good luck and hope it rents quickly for you.