Q: How can I dispute or fight excessive cleaning charges on a rental?
We lived in the house for 18 months and the landlord is trying to charge almost $2000; $974 for landscaping/sod, $753 in carpet cleaning/pet dander, $135 in paint, and $120 in scratch repair. I know Texas law protects from reasonable wear and tear but the dogs were always kept in their kennels when inside and the downstairs was laminate and tile so it seems excessive for that much in carpet cleaning. Also, the paths in the yards were preexisting but it seems like normal wear from dogs being outside. Would this be worth fighting?
A:
A Texas attorney could advise best, but your post remains open for four weeks. As a general matter, the dollar amount of your dispute might be out of proportion with legal fees if you hired an attorney to handle it on an hourly basis. A more cost-effective option to consider could be small claims court. Good luck
Tim Akpinar
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