Apartment damage

[Susri]

I recently moved out of an apartment and was sent a bill of $1100 for alleged damages to carpet and kitchen flooring. When I moved into the apartment year before, I was charged for carpet shampooing / cleaning. My expectation was that I do not have to pay for the same while moving out too. There were some minor stains, nothing that cannot be removed by normal carpet cleaning/shampooing, but was told that the whole carpet had to be replaced.

The apartment management is not even willing to negotiate and has reported me to collection agency, when I refused to budge. Question is whether I can take the apartment management to court and if yes, what's the normal process.

 

[Cvillecpm]

You need to dispute the charge with apt mgmt AND the collection agency IN WRITING. Unless they take you to court, keep your head down and leave the issue alone.

The minute you sue, they can counter sue.

 

[Susri]

Apartment damages

Thankyou Civilecpm

As per your suggestion,I wrote to both the collection agent & apartment management disputing the claim of $1100.The collection agent however fails to negogiate anything further & is just interested in knowing whether the amount will be paid or not.
I've two further questions can you pls throw yr valuable inputs on them.

1)The collection agent says the matter will be taken legal if not paid immediately.I want to know if there is any other better way to handle this .If not what do you think will be the estimated legal cost ?If they sue us what immediately is to be done & how?

2)Major part of the claim pertains to carpet damages -which represents stains (nothing which cannot be removed with shampooing),whereas they've mentioned the same needs to be replaced & have charged the balance bookvalue as damages on our heads.My question is whose responsibility is this?

3)In our one year lease period -there were lots of maintenance issues ,which kept us away from using some of the imprortant facilities for more than a month.Also looks like the landlord is trying to claim back the move-in rebate of $1160 offered to us thru the damages.My question is ,with the collection agent failing to negotiate ,how do I discuss these points & come to a negogiated price ..Is suing the only route?