Can a property management company charge you after they have done their final inspection for damages the homeowner finds?
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Can a property management company charge you after they have done their final inspection for damages the homeowner finds?
Property management people did the final inspection when I moved out. They said everything looked very good after I moved out. I have a text message on my phone from the property management company to confirm this. A couple of days later they call me saying the owner of the property is not happy with the paint I painted in the apartment. Can they charge me for this even after they did the final inspection and said everything was good? They want to charge me $400 of my $795 deposit
Asked on February 2, 2012 under Real Estate Law, South Carolina
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Conceivably the property management post the final inspection for the final walk through when a tenant is vacating a rental can charge the tenant for undiscovered damage after the fact.
The paint issue is not what I would call "damage". It seems that the landlord is being subjective as to the color of paint he or she likes and wants to charge you for a new coat of paint to the unit where the paint color was not an issue to the property management company. I would contest the $400 painting charge. Most landlords paint a rental every time a new tenant moves in as part of the costs of doing business.
Ordinarily the painting costs to freshen up a rental are not charged to the former tenant.
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