Q: Can Lanord perform shampooing the carpet at the tenant's expense after the tenant moved?
It was stated on the lease Landlord has the right to do house cleaning and shampoo the carpet at the tenant's cost when the tenant moves. The tenant provided an invoice for house cleaning services upon key release. However, upon inspection, the landlord discovered that only the carpet had been vacuumed, not shampooed.
A: It depends upon what your lease says. A landlord can only charge for carpet cleaning beyond just vacuuming IF their written lease tells the tenant that they will be charged for carpet cleaning after they vacate, regardless of whether they have it cleared themselves AND they had it shampooed before the current tenant moved in and have it cleaned after the tenant moved out. IF your landlord is trying to charge you for a carpet cleaning without complying with the above, you may well have claims against the landlord, including monetary damages, court costs, and your attorney's fees. If this is the case, consider reviewing everything with a landlord-tenant attorney. If, after your first interview, the attorney is convinced of the strength of your case, they may well agree to take your case on a contingency, meaning you would not owe the attorney anything beyond the first interview fee for their time. Rather they would rely upon collecting their fees from the landlord upon either prevailing in court or settlinfg the case. You would likely still be liable for paying the out of pocket costs, such as court filing fees. So check your lease.
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