Tenant contesting security deposit 9 months later

[Josselyn Jorge]

I just received a message from my previous property manager for a rental condo I have in Orlando. The tenant moved out in June 2023 and is now contesting $500 I withheld from the security deposit. The Management Company is recommending at this point, because there is a dispute, to send some kind of bill showing that this work was done and if not, it would be best to issue a refund.

Here’s the message I received: 

The previous tenant only just picked up his deposit refund letter, after leaving it unclaimed since late year… yes, really, nine months later!! And now since receiving the official mailed notice, he is exercising his right to dispute the $500 claim for the AC sanitizing. This is what he wrote to us:


“I'd like to dispute the A/C sanitation fee for $500 and would like it refunded. Neither my brother or myself smoke. The appt as always had a mustiness about it, not sure if that was attributing to the "smoke odor" but again we don't smoke. I dont think it's fair that we are being held liable for something we had no hand in contributing to”

Am I legally responsible to return anything 9 months after he moved out??