e. (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} clarice) wrote in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} seattle,@ 2004-07-15 21:27:00 |
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Our former U-district slumlord, Richard Sander, is attempting to extort our entire rental deposit along with an additional $75 for damage that we did not do to the house. We have never delt with something like this before (although we found out after we moved in that this is his general M.O., and has been sued multiple times for witholding deposits) and need someone to point us in the right direction for legal recourse. We are consulting the Studenl Legal services office at the UW, but any additional input would be very much appreciated.
* We are being charged $250 for carpet cleaning, even though the carpet was not cleaned before we moved in (we cleaned it ourselves, in fact) and the original damage report clearly states "stains on carpet" (which there were -- it was covered and remains more or less as it was).
* We are being charged $250 for repainting, although the house was not painted when we moved it. (The walls had primer only, no paint, so we had to paint them ourselves)
* We are being charged for yard waste removal for a pile of lumber refuse that he -- the landlord -- hauled to the property before we moved in.
* We are being charged for yard maintance, even though we moved before we moved out. The yard looked as it did when we moved in, with the only overgrowth being around the pile of lumber he left (as one can't really mow around that.)
I am wondering, specifically, if we have any legal recourse to refute and of these fees. I'm not sure it matters, in the legal sense, but none of our appliances worked, he did not fix our heat despite being notified in writing as well as verbally, and he knew of a frequent, recurring pipe problem that caused raw sewage to spew into our living area, and yet did nothing to stop it (nor did he clean up the mess). The oil heater had not been cleaned for over 25 years, as well, which is not safe or healthy.
...At any rate, I'll just reiterate that this man is the worst landlord imaginable, and should be avoided at all costs. He manages several properties in the U-district, and has made a practice of profiting off of students and other people he assumes will not or do not know how to sue him.
* We are being charged $250 for carpet cleaning, even though the carpet was not cleaned before we moved in (we cleaned it ourselves, in fact) and the original damage report clearly states "stains on carpet" (which there were -- it was covered and remains more or less as it was).
* We are being charged $250 for repainting, although the house was not painted when we moved it. (The walls had primer only, no paint, so we had to paint them ourselves)
* We are being charged for yard waste removal for a pile of lumber refuse that he -- the landlord -- hauled to the property before we moved in.
* We are being charged for yard maintance, even though we moved before we moved out. The yard looked as it did when we moved in, with the only overgrowth being around the pile of lumber he left (as one can't really mow around that.)
I am wondering, specifically, if we have any legal recourse to refute and of these fees. I'm not sure it matters, in the legal sense, but none of our appliances worked, he did not fix our heat despite being notified in writing as well as verbally, and he knew of a frequent, recurring pipe problem that caused raw sewage to spew into our living area, and yet did nothing to stop it (nor did he clean up the mess). The oil heater had not been cleaned for over 25 years, as well, which is not safe or healthy.
...At any rate, I'll just reiterate that this man is the worst landlord imaginable, and should be avoided at all costs. He manages several properties in the U-district, and has made a practice of profiting off of students and other people he assumes will not or do not know how to sue him.
