Tenant Damage...help, please.

[Christian Lincoln]

2 year lease. Really nice 4 bedroom. New Yorkers who have never lived in the country, now they want their security back after the following:

1. Let the oil run out, 13 breaks in the pipes, new pipes, new ceilings. I made them pay for this. but plumber didn't finish the job, just capped off some pipes going to shower in tub. now i have to get a plumber. They never told me he didn't finish and the shower handle didn't work.

2. Continually left garbage in the basement, when I told them over and over not to do so - documented. Bear eventually ripped barn door off where they stored some of their garbage. Had to deal with mice in basement as well. 1,000 total.

3. used steel wool on new white stove. omg. have pics.

4. kids wrote all over walls. I'm okay with repainting but they dug into the walls with pencils and markers ugggg.

5. huge 18" long, 1" deep dent in wall moving out.  3 heavy coats of joint compound.

6.  dog scratches on floor. oil stains on walls and on beautiful concrete tub deck...on and on and on.

7. Left oil tank empty even though lease said they had to fill it upon leaving. Now claiming it wasn't full when they arrived.  Incredible.

I have pics. I have receipts. But they are pulling a New York attitude about the whole thing, saying we lost tons of food when the fridge didn't wasn't cooling properly for a week. even though my asst. gave them a small fridge temporarily. And that it's all general wear and tear. I don't want to go to court, but....It's a beautiful house, 2100 a month, and security was 1600. I was going to call it even, but now they aggressively want it and i total damages around 2400 minimum, 3,400 if I pursued all of it.

Thoughts???  First long term tenants. 

[Elizabeth Colegrove]

Honestly I have found that tenants try the "offensive to be defensive" move. In that case I would list them everything and than have an attorney send it to them along with a court date. I have found that even the most intimating person gets intimated when stood up too! I wouldn't give an inch!