Good Morning all,
Quick question. I just moved out of a 4 bedroom, 2,700 sq foot rental house in Chesterfield, Va. My application fee was 150.00 (high?) and my deposit was 1600.00. The lease stated I had to have carpets prof. cleaned when I moved out. I was there from March 1st 2012 to April 1, 2013. Here is what was said about the application fee: "Corporate office is in Utal and they call the $150 fee many things - I call it an application fee because it is non-refundable. I could break it down and charge for credit, criminal bg check, but I believe in simple also. To the best of my knowledge and my broker certainly looks over everything, it is legal. I know it is a lot at once for you and I appreciate having you and your family as tenants. This house needs love. We will work through all issues." That may not be an issue at all but thought I would add it.
I was an excellent tenant and clean and my landlord was thorough with inspections every now and then. Getting things fixed was no so prompt when requested..etc. (The person fixing things painted over mold in the bathroom and when called to replace a dishwasher, took from 3/15 to 5/02 days to address with follow ups from me.) I never gave a written "complaint" notice about the dishwasher but I have all emails asking about from start to end. I'm only mentioning this in case it can give me leverage with helping with the carpet later.
10 days before my lease end date and before anything was moved out, the landlord did a quick walk thru and that night emailed me this,
"Sorry I missed seeing you but this was just a quick deal to make sure that we are on the same page as to what will need to be done. There is some touchup painting that will need to be done and this will be done by my painter. The spots that I noticed and this could change based on what it looks like empty: living room will need some touch up and when the doors are down, the woodwork will as well, the inside of the front door, the hallway upstains, the green bedroom. Please let your cleaning crew know that the light fixtures should be included and that hardwood floors should be cleaned with Murphy's Wood Soap. I am worried about the carpet and we will just have to see how that does.
I emailed her back an hour later and said:
"In fairness, I do need to move all of my stuff and pictures and furniture and beds out before we have the final inspection/walk-thru.
I still need to have the entire place cleaned and the carpets prof. done but can’t do that until I’m moved out." She said, "I understand. You are making great progress."
I had the carpets prof. cleaned. 150.00 I had the house prof. cleaned. 150.00 I left things cleaner then when I moved in and the landlord even said so.
The only issues were in 2 bedrooms. The Master about 20x16 and a childs room, about 10x12. Beige worn carpet was in there when we moved in. Not awful worn but clearly walked on, some spots here and there but not unsitely. "The house just needs love" and i have an email from the landlord stating that verbatum a week after I moved in.
I had put 2 throw rugs down on both bedroom carpets and the throw rug had a red tint to it that bled very lightly on the Master and Child's carpet. Bout a 4x 6 throw rug. Lightly, or not, I do agree I should replace the carpets, as I was on my hands and knees and still could not get it up. It was so lite it was more pink instead of red, but I put it there so I take responsibility for it.
There was also a 14x8 section of a hall wall that she said would need to be repainted. There were little scuff marks and a some small nail holes that I had covered up very lightly trying to clean things up. You can't see the "cover ups" unless the light hits it right..but still, I should have left that alone but it stil looks better then it did when I moved in.
So, a section of a wall, a Master Bedroom and Childs Bedroom carpet replacement-this is verbatum what she
rachel d, VA on Saturday, April 6, 2013