Anneli

City: 
Pacifica
Residence Type: 
detached
Landlord Type: 
Private Landlord -- No Rent Control

My landlord took over 2 months to return our deposit stating she was suffering from health problems. However, once I sent her a demand letter, she contacted me and told me she would comply. I received a check from her 15 days after I mailed the letter. She had deducted $1764 for what she said was damage we caused the house. She charged us for a door that was damaged when we moved in. She charged us for a garbage disposal she said leaked - it never leaked - along with the dry rot in the flooring under the dishwasher. She charged us for a new toilet along with the flooring under it stating we should have known it was leaking under the house. I never went under the house. She charged us for 10 days of rent after we vacated because she said the new tenants couldn't move in until these things were fixed. We left the house in pristine condition. If there was dry rot under the dishwasher, it was there long before we moved in (we lived there less than 2 years). I live in California. I believe that she cannot charge us for these improvements to the house. I think I have to take her to small claims court. Can she hold us responsible for damage for leaks we had no knowledge of? I have pictures of the house when we moved in and when we moved out (it was cleaner then!).

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