Former landlord charging us $630 for cleaning?! Help please!

[tlh]

Call merry maids. Ask them how long and how much it would be to clean a XXX sq foot home. Get their quote.

THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL CLEANERS with PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT. SHE IS NOT. Get their quote... and use that.


This is ridiculous. Sorry.

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 11/18/2009 11:20:36 AM
Author: tlh
Call merry maids. Ask them how long and how much it would be to clean a XXX sq foot home. Get their quote.

THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL CLEANERS with PROFESSIONAL EQUIPMENT. SHE IS NOT. Get their quote... and use that.


This is ridiculous. Sorry.

I like this idea. Thanks tlh!

Here''s what she said about the cleaning. I can''t dispute any of it; there were marks from kitties'' dirty feet jumping off window sills and counters and banisters, and the stains were from a candle dripping that we painted over, but apparently it still showed through.

"I am not charging you for wear and tear. There were alot of dirty spots on walls which took a while to scrub off. The kitchen required alot of time to clean as well. there were also pink stains in the corner of the wall of the master bedroom which I could not scrub off etc. Professional cleaning service like Maid Bridgade charges $40 per person per hour. Thus, I did the cleaning myself and charged $35 per hour."

I''m thinking it has to be illegal for her to have done the cleaning herself, as she has a vested interest in the time=money spent. I''d spend 18 hours too if it meant I got $600 in spending money!

 

[vespergirl]

Honestly, I think that $330 sounds fair. I would take the extra $300 and drop it.

 

[lilyfoot]

sunny, in your original post, you said that you and DH expected for $150-$300 to be deducted from your deposit for the cleaning. The $330 amount is pretty in line with that. You could try to get more money back, if you really feel it's unfair. Only you know the condition that the place was left in, and how much effort it would take one person to clean it. I'm glad she agreed to return $300 more .. see, it wasn't that difficult!

ETA: The reason I asked how long you lived in the townhome is because I think dirty walls would be considered regular wear and tear. As long as they weren't heavily soiled, I think every landlord can expect to clean after a tenant, with pets, lived there for 2 years.

 

[sunnyd]

I guess...that place had much larger issues than dirty walls anyway. Like the fact that when she moved out 2 years ago, she used glossy paint to paint over holes on walls painted with flat paint. Oy. At least she replaced the dying fridge.

I''ll see what the tenant union has to say about the giant conflict of interest of her cleaning her own place and charging us to do it. Then we''ll decide how to proceed.

 

[lilyfoot]

Good luck!

I really don''t mind renting, but the whole process of moving out is the only sucky part!

 

[sunnyd]

I feel like a drama queen airing all this, but things just got more ridiculous. I don''t know what to do.

The rental manager (RM) just emailed me to say that she''s sorry about what''s happening (I guess LL filled her in) and that RM didn''t tell LL what to charge for cleaning and she''s glad we''re contesting the amount. RM DID fax our forwarding address to LL (but thinks maybe a page got lost...). Seriously?!

Should I ask RM what to do? Maybe they can smack some sense into LL? Sounds like they''re trying to keep clear of trouble. Ugh.

 

[lilyfoot]

Wow!

Ok, since RM did have your forwarding address, and admits to sending it to LL, you are lawfully entitled to your entire deposit back (since it''s been 14+ days since you moved out).

I would write back to the RM, quote the state statute I mentioned above (the one you''re so familiar with by now, lol). Let her know your intention will be to file in small claims if she doesn''t agree to send you back your entire deposit (and point out again how they have to pay twice the deposit + court fee''s, or whatever it was).

 

[lucyandroger]

Date: 11/18/2009 4:08:47 PM
Author: lilyfoot
Wow!

Ok, since RM did have your forwarding address, and admits to sending it to LL, you are lawfully entitled to your entire deposit back (since it''s been 14+ days since you moved out).

I would write back to the RM, quote the state statute I mentioned above (the one you''re so familiar with by now, lol). Let her know your intention will be to file in small claims if she doesn''t agree to send you back your entire deposit (and point out again how they have to pay twice the deposit + court fee''s, or whatever it was).

Ditto, Lilyfoot. It''s not your problem that someone lost your forwarding address. This whole thing is so sketchy!

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 11/18/2009 5:16:05 PM
Author: lucyandroger

Date: 11/18/2009 4:08:47 PM
Author: lilyfoot
Wow!

Ok, since RM did have your forwarding address, and admits to sending it to LL, you are lawfully entitled to your entire deposit back (since it''s been 14+ days since you moved out).

I would write back to the RM, quote the state statute I mentioned above (the one you''re so familiar with by now, lol). Let her know your intention will be to file in small claims if she doesn''t agree to send you back your entire deposit (and point out again how they have to pay twice the deposit + court fee''s, or whatever it was).

Ditto, Lilyfoot. It''s not your problem that someone lost your forwarding address. This whole thing is so sketchy!

You''re telling me.

 

[Gypsy]

Bottom line: She has no reciept, and nothing to verify the time she spent (or that her services are worth 30 an hour... which considering it took her 18 hours to clean tells me NO, they aren't) or the "additional' damage she noted when she was 'cleaning'.

NOT OKAY. In your place I would push for full amount back too. And threaten to report them to local landlords association. Hinky doesn't begin to explain it.

18 hours of cleaning. For one person. In a hardwood floor apartment. Haaa, pull the other one, it's got bells on it.

 

[jet2ks]

Date: 11/18/2009 5:33:09 PM
Author: Gypsy
Bottom line: She has no reciept, and nothing to verify the time she spent (or that her services are worth 30 an hour... which considering it took her 18 hours to clean tells me NO, they aren''t) or the ''additional'' damage she noted when she was ''cleaning''.

NOT OKAY. In your place I would push for full amount back too. And threaten to report them to local landlords association. Hinky doesn''t begin to explain it.

18 hours of cleaning. For one person. In a hardwood floor apartment. Haaa, pull the other one, it''s got bells on it.

Now Gypsy, don''t hold back on us. Say what you really think.

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 11/18/2009 5:33:09 PM
Author: Gypsy
Bottom line: She has no reciept, and nothing to verify the time she spent (or that her services are worth 30 an hour... which considering it took her 18 hours to clean tells me NO, they aren''t) or the ''additional'' damage she noted when she was ''cleaning''.

NOT OKAY. In your place I would push for full amount back too. And threaten to report them to local landlords association. Hinky doesn''t begin to explain it.

18 hours of cleaning. For one person. In a hardwood floor apartment. Haaa, pull the other one, it''s got bells on it.

Hehehe I''m gonna paste this into my next email to her.

It''s totally true! She doesn''t have a leg to stand on. Whether or not she got our address is between her and RM, not us. I''ll have to see if her asking us for it on the 14th day still counts, but I think she''s screwed.

Woohoo!

 

[lilyfoot]

sunny, whatever happened with this?

 

[sunnyd]

I emailed her back yesterday morning telling her that cleaning the unit herself is unacceptable...conflict of interest...no professional cleaning company would spend 18 hours...we''ll accept nothing less than $1100 back...see you in court if we don''t have the check by the end of next week, which would be a month after vacating.

Nothing yet...

I''ll keep you posted though. This hopefully will be useful to someone in a similar situation.

 

[Smurfysmiles]

I just wanted to say I''m so glad you posted this thread! We had a deposit of almost 800 bucks at our last place and they had our forwarding address and agreed to send a list of damages and the remainder within 30 days and we didn''t even get that!!! So I sent them a lovely little letter today citing exactly what laws they were breaking, heres hopin I get some money too!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 11/18/2009 5:45:24 PM
Author: sunnyd

Date: 11/18/2009 5:33:09 PM

Author: Gypsy

Bottom line: She has no reciept, and nothing to verify the time she spent (or that her services are worth 30 an hour... which considering it took her 18 hours to clean tells me NO, they aren't) or the 'additional' damage she noted when she was 'cleaning'.


NOT OKAY. In your place I would push for full amount back too. And threaten to report them to local landlords association. Hinky doesn't begin to explain it.


18 hours of cleaning. For one person. In a hardwood floor apartment. Haaa, pull the other one, it's got bells on it.

Hehehe I'm gonna paste this into my next email to her.


It's totally true! She doesn't have a leg to stand on. Whether or not she got our address is between her and RM, not us. I'll have to see if her asking us for it on the 14th day still counts, but I think she's screwed.


Woohoo!

It shouldn't matter if she "asked for it" on the 14th day. If you gave it to the RM and it was the RM's job to get it to her-it ISN'T your fault. You should have had the check in your hands by that time.

And Merry Maids would have had that place done with 2 people in 2 hours is my guess. So what is that? $160??? No WAY she spent 18 hours cleaning it.

Oh, and dirt on the walls is generally considered wear and tear.

I'm with Lily and Gypsy. This is all kinds of fishy-she owes you your money back.

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 11/20/2009 11:19:17 AM
Author: sunnyd
I emailed her back yesterday morning telling her that cleaning the unit herself is unacceptable...conflict of interest...no professional cleaning company would spend 18 hours...we''ll accept nothing less than $1100 back...see you in court if we don''t have the check by the end of next week, which would be a month after vacating.

Nothing yet...

I''ll keep you posted though. This hopefully will be useful to someone in a similar situation.

Yes, good! Can''t wait to hear that she''s agreed to this, because it''s the lawful thing for her to do!

 

[kama_s]

Date: 11/20/2009 11:19:17 AM
Author: sunnyd
I emailed her back yesterday morning telling her that cleaning the unit herself is unacceptable...conflict of interest...no professional cleaning company would spend 18 hours...we''ll accept nothing less than $1100 back...see you in court if we don''t have the check by the end of next week, which would be a month after vacating.

Nothing yet...

I''ll keep you posted though. This hopefully will be useful to someone in a similar situation.

Good for you Sunny! Did you by any chance find out from Merry Maids how long it would''ve taken them to do a basic cleaning for 1100sq ft? If they say 4-5 hours, it really would strengthen your case by quite a bit!

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 11/20/2009 4:38:09 PM
Author: kama_s

Date: 11/20/2009 11:19:17 AM
Author: sunnyd
I emailed her back yesterday morning telling her that cleaning the unit herself is unacceptable...conflict of interest...no professional cleaning company would spend 18 hours...we''ll accept nothing less than $1100 back...see you in court if we don''t have the check by the end of next week, which would be a month after vacating.

Nothing yet...

I''ll keep you posted though. This hopefully will be useful to someone in a similar situation.

Good for you Sunny! Did you by any chance find out from Merry Maids how long it would''ve taken them to do a basic cleaning for 1100sq ft? If they say 4-5 hours, it really would strengthen your case by quite a bit!

No they never called back!

I may have mentioned that a few places we asked quoted 4-6 hours though.

Which is probably more than generous. If she disputes, I''m asking for an itemized receipt and verification of time spent. She won''t be able to provide one, which we are entitled to by law, so then we''ll threaten court again.

Mess, mess, go away...

 

[FrekeChild]

You know, it took two Merry Maids 3.5 hours and less than $400 (with tax) to clean my dad''s house (3,500 sq ft) after our engagement party when there was literally cupcake smashed into the grout on the tile floor, and sticky mess all over the rest of the kitchen. She''s full of poo and I hope you get every cent back.

 

[sunnyd]

To wrap this thread up, she''s sending us the $1100 we asked for.

 

[lucyandroger]

Date: 11/23/2009 10:35:07 AM
Author: sunnyd
To wrap this thread up, she''s sending us the $1100 we asked for.

WOO HOO!!!!

That''s awesome! Great job

 

[jet2ks]

Great news!

Way to stick to your guns, sunnyd.

 

[lilyfoot]

Date: 11/23/2009 10:35:07 AM
Author: sunnyd
To wrap this thread up, she''s sending us the $1100 we asked for.

Yay! I hate when landlords think they can take advantage of people. I swear my former landlord must''ve thought I was dumb because I was a young, single female.

I should make a career out of getting people''s money back from their landlords lol

 

[kama_s]

Date: 11/23/2009 10:35:07 AM
Author: sunnyd
To wrap this thread up, she''s sending us the $1100 we asked for.

Sweet! YAY!

 

[neatfreak]

Excellent!!!!! So glad this had a happy ending Sunny!

 

[vc10um]

Date: 11/23/2009 10:35:07 AM
Author: sunnyd
To wrap this thread up, she''s sending us the $1100 we asked for.

Excellent News, sunnyd!

 

[sunnyd]

Thanks everyone! I couldn''t have done it without your help! I think quoting statutes all over the place made her see that we weren''t idiots. I''m happy this will all be over with before the holidays. Woohoo!

 

[iheartscience]

Ha, way to go sunny! That proves she was just trying to screw you!