Can a tenant sue you for not giving her security deposit back?

[Isham Zabala]

Hi, I have a tenant who is claiming she did not break the dishwasher when I know that the dishwasher was working completely when they moved in and was working months after that. The whole panel came off and the screws along with it. The screws were tight. Could she sue me and take my property if she wins or just her security deposit?

Thank you!

[Andrew S.]

According to Consumer Reports, the expected lifespan of a dishwasher I’d 10 years.  So, you were already halfway through.  Realistically, you can’t charge the full $500 unless the installation was extremely expensive (and not done by you).

https://www.consumerreports.org/dishwasher/how-to-make-your-dishwasher-last-longer-a7937722178/#:~:text=How%20long%20should%20a%20dishwasher,mean%2010%20trouble%2Dfree%20years.