This is in California. I completed my pre-move out inspection today. The inspector said everything looked good, but that it is the building's policy that the walls get completely repainted and that the floors get waxed and polished, even though he admitted there was no damage.
I looked into California Tenant laws a little bit, and it looks like the only scenarios in which the apartment can charge the tenant is to cover "damage" or for cleaning to make the apartment the same condition it was when I first moved in. They already admitted there was no damage, so does the painting and floor waxing fall into the latter category? In previous apartments, I've only ever been charged for small paint touch-ups and carpet cleanings.
An interesting side-note is that when I first notified the front office that I was leaving (before any inspection was made), they looked into my account and told me that because I "only" had a $300 security deposit that I would most likely end up owing them additional money. It feels wrong to me that they said that without knowing anything about the condition of my apartment.
What are your takes on this? Does the apartment have the right to charge me for these items?
Edit - Here's what the relevant portion of the lease says about this: When you move out, you must leave the Premises in substantially the same clean, undamaged, and ready-to-rent condition as existed when you took occupancy of the Premises, less ordinary wear and tear. You will be charged for replacement of any damaged or missing items, as well as all costs to clean or repair any portion of the Premises, carpeting, flooring, wall coverings, paint, counters, trim, window treatments, doors, windows, or appliances which are damaged, dirty, or unsanitary, and the removal of all trash and personal property from the Premises.
Edit 2 - Another interesting tidbit I found when searching online: "A landlord cannot routinely charge each tenant for cleaning carpets, drapes, walls, or windows in order to prepare the rental unit for the next tenancy." It seems like this is exactly what they are trying to do.
Submitted March 08, 2020 at 07:28PM by thisisnumber1bs https://ift.tt/39AxDBc
