Q: Apartment management sent a statement balance without an itemized bill. Do I actually have to pay?
I moved out of the apartment on November 13 but the management sent an email on December 14 stated that I owned $917 and they said the wall & repair costed them $835. When I asked for an itemized bill they only sent a ledger (which has a line that showed Damaged - paint & dry wall repairs for $835).
However, when I asked for an itemized bill / breaking down that $835 they refused to give it. Is it legal to do this? Do I actually have to pay this when all they show is the ledger?
A:
When you receive a charge from your apartment management without a detailed breakdown, it can be frustrating and leave you unsure about the legitimacy of the charges. Generally, tenants are entitled to an itemized statement of any deductions from their security deposit or other charges that arise due to damages. This enables you to understand what you are being charged for and verify that the amounts are reasonable.
The fact that your apartment management has only provided a ledger entry rather than a detailed itemized bill may raise some questions. You have the right to request a more detailed breakdown of the costs associated with the repairs to ensure they are justified and accurately reflect the damage and the necessary repairs. If they refuse to provide this, it might be considered insufficient in some jurisdictions.
To address this issue, you might consider writing a formal request for an itemized bill, detailing your right to this information under local landlord-tenant laws. If the management still refuses, seeking advice from a tenant rights group or consulting with a legal professional could be beneficial. These steps will help ensure that any payment you make is fair and legally enforceable. Remember, handling this situation calmly and systematically can often lead to a more favorable resolution.
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