What should I do?? tenant needs help!!

[lilangelkayla]

I signed a month to month lease in Michigan with two of my friends. I am the only one who gave a 30 day notice, a forwarding address, and I had to wait 6 days to get the keys from my ex friend whom i no longer associate with until i could turn them in. The apartment had a few things past normal wear and tear, burn holes and a little hole in the wall. I moved all of my stuff out and cleaned what was mine. The landlord somehow sucked all of our 525 dollar security deposit up and wants to charge 375 dollars more in damages. He charged for removal of a dresser lamp and couch that were not mine, 100 dollars for rent because no one would turn their keys in, and over 350 in cleaning. He said he is going to sue just me unless i send him a letter, which he gave me word for word what to write saying i give up my security deposit and if i dont then he said he has to take me to court. He also called me 6 days after the last day and said so was it just you moving out or everyone.?? What kind of landlord does that. Not to mention the place was a dump anyways it was an upstairs of a very old house. My questions are :
1. Can he take only me to court if we ALL signed the lease. How can I be the only one responsible, its like saying if your a irresponsible loser then you win.
2. Shouldnt the other two tenants be in violation because neither of them gave a 30 day notice, or a forwarding address.
3. does he have to send me back my security deposit and then sue me for it or can he just keep it? I also sent a letter saying that i disagreed with the charges.
4. Is it true that if he doesnt have an address for the other two that he can take no legal action againts them?

I need any advice i can get,what should i do? and should I just give up my security deposit, or go to court? I dont know if he is taking advantage of me and trying to scare me because i am only 18 or what! Please help!

 

[calalily]

Check on-line for Tenent Landlord Laws for your state. Some of your questions may be answered there. If he takes you to court it would seem like you are responsible for only a third, but one never knows how a judge will rule. Keep all your documentation about bills paid, rent paid, security deposite paid, your lease, cleaning supplies you bought to clean when you left, your 30 day notice if in writing and dispute letter and take it to court with you. He can only charge you reasonable costs and 350 in cleaning, on top of keeping security deposite and another 375 for damges doesn't sound reasonable to me. The security deposite is what that is for. He would have to prove 375 in damages and 350 cleaning above and beyond the security deposit. The 100 rent though may be correct if you kept the keys longer than reasonable; however, once again some of that should be deducted from the deposit. What did he charge for removing the furniture? I think he is bullying you and is exessive in his charges. You could write another dispute letter stating that you cleaned, removed your furniture, and gave the required 30 days notice. What does your lease say in regards to damages, cleaning, etc...?

 

[lilangelkayla]

he charged 85 dollars to remove the couch and dresser, and the lease says that the apartment is to be returned to the way it was when we moved in. The place was a dump he didnt even paint it for us and the carpet was like 15 years old. I did my part in cleaning but what if the other two didnt? should i just send the letter saying i relinquish my security deposit as long as the landlord agrees not to take me to court, ( this is what he told me to write to him) do you think this is because he knows the judge wont give him all of that money? or should i just go to court for experience?