If I lived in my apartment for 2 years, can my landlord charge me for the replacement of the carpet?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
If I lived in my apartment for 2 years, can my landlord charge me for the replacement of the carpet?
My landlord sent me a letter indicating the balance on my account. Although I agree with most terms of the letter they landlord is charging me $597 for replacement of the carpet. The carpet was according to the landlord heavily stained and soiled.
Asked on August 22, 2011 California
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Whether or not you are responsible for paying for the replacement of carpet in the unit you are renting is set forth in the written lease you have for the apartment. Read the written lease (assuming you have one) carefully in that its terms control the obligations you owe your landlord and vice versa unless in conflict of state law.
If the lease states you are responsible for such replacement beyond normal wear and tear, you would be responsible for such costs.
You need to be aware that many landlords try to have a tenant pay the costs of carpet replacement under the pretense that the carpet has been "damaged" by the tenant where in reality, the carpet through normal wear and tear simply wore out on its own without any abuse by the tenant.
The laws of most states do not hold a tenant repsonsible for normal wear and tear replacement of articles in the unit they are renting.
Good question.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.