Can my landlord force me to pay for replacement blinds/shades?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can my landlord force me to pay for replacement blinds/shades?
I have rented an apartment for 7 years now and the blinds have been replaced several times. I am now being told that I will have to pay $20 per blind to replace them if they are damaged or not working. They require the blinds be clean and in working order as par our lease, can they force me to pay even though the are standard in each unit?
Asked on August 19, 2010 under Real Estate Law, Georgia
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 14 years ago | Contributor
1) If you damage the rental property or its appliances, attachments, etc. --such as blinds--you can be required to pay to repair or replace them. You don't need to pay to "upgrade" them or make them better than they had been, but you do need to repair damage.
2) Since the apartment is in your control, if they stop working while you're in possession, the assumption is your are responsible for the damage, unless you can show that it instead was caused by persons not under your control and for whom you are not responsible--like the landlord's super.
3) Normally, you do not need to pay for normal cleaning--i.e. to take care of the usual grime and grunge from ordinary wear and tear--though you would have to pay for cleaning occasioned by your acts--e.g. if you somehow spilled red wine or grease on the blinds. However, if your lease specifies that the blinds need to be clean, etc. that is enforceable.
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.