is there a Lawyer in the house? (rental)

[JeffD 0]

This is in Tampa Florida.

Is it legal for an apartment complex to charge you "rent" for time you CANNOT live in the appartment. We were charged a months rent but were not allowed to move in until 10 days into the month.

Also are there any materials on normal wear and tear on an apartment. We are being charged $320 in rediculous fees. $25 to steam clean the carpet in my room, $40 to clean my room, $80 to steam clean the carpets in the living room. $80 to "clean" the living room, $50 for paint, $40 for one set of blinds, and $5 for certified mail.

I will be "objecting in writing" per florida law but then what happens? they say tough shit and charge me other crap. I am preparing stuff for the Better buisness bureau, and a local news company if this doesn't get resolved.

Thanks for your help.

[EDYDO 0]

Ask the local Magistrate or equivalent. The information will be free.

Did you have a problem with one place moving out and another moving in??

Edited to add: I am not a lawyer but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.

Ed

[FlyingJ 0]

Hardly legal speak here, but I have had two somewhat similar situations where I had a problem with a company and they were unwilling to budge.

Both times I sent letters to the BBB and to the Attorney General both of my state and of the state that the company was headquartered in, copying the president of the company as well as my primary contact.

In both cases, within a day or two of my receiving a copy of a letter sent from the AG's office to the company I received a phone call letting me know that they were going to do what I had requested. During both instances I received a letter back from the AG's office stating that they had contacted the company and that they company said that there was not a problem and that the issue had been settled. If I disagreed I was to write back to them.

Long story short, I don't think most companies want to get mixed up in that kind of stuff, regardless of what kind of leg you really had to stand on. In one of the cases I believe it was the copy of the letter to the president of the company, complaining about awful customer service that I had received over the last 7 months, that really did it.

Anyway, just my $.02 for what it's worth. At least if they continue to fight it there is someone in the middle rather than it just being a pissing contest.

Killing threads since 2004.

[tunaplanet 0]

Talk to LawRocket. He's the most knowledgable lawyer on these forums.

Forty-two

[Jib 0]

I know little about landlord tenant, but you can talk to someone for $50 about it. Don't bother talking to an attorney from another state.

http://www.hillsbar.com/LawyerReferral.asp

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the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[freefalle 0]

Florida has a very specific Landlord-tenent act I would do a google search for it online. Its pretty informitive

[PLFXpert 0]

Florida has the best free-public information ever. The answer is online. I don't know the cites off the top of my head, but if you go to the bookstore, just look in "Find it Online" and it will list some good cites to read regarding that.

Having said that, I THINK the following:

YOu can be charged rent, but they are supposed to either pror-ate the 10 days, or deduct it from your deposit.

As far as the deposit goes, I'm not sure. I've been given back 1/2 my deposit before for ridiculous things. I believe, however, you can get your own quotes, or rent your own steam-vac for $15/day and clean-up yourself to get your full deposit back.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[lawrocket 3]

check out the term "constructive eviction."

Also, "breach of contract."

My wife is hotter than your wife.