Billing for cleanup of property

[Jason C.]

Usually when a tenant leaves a mess in a rental, I take it on the chin and clean it up, keep the full security deposit, and move on. They never leave a forwarding address anyway (if the property is a mess). The question is, if I wanted to account for and bill for the cleanup of the property, how should I estimate what to charge them?

I do the work myself. In this most recent case, I spent about two hours loading all the junk from the yard onto my trailer (it filled a 16 foot flatbed trailer) and will take it to the dump this weekend. Obviously there is the cost at the landfill, but how should I estimate the charges for unskilled work I chose to do myself?

[Greg H.]

Originally posted by @Jason C.:

Thanks @Greg H. I have never tried to pursue it, because it seems like a judgement in Texas is about as valuable as a piece of scratch paper.

I either have tenants who take care of the property and get their deposit back or people who disappear in the night and I find out my unit is empty when I go there to ask about my rent money. The latter group have never gotten a dime back from me, nor have they had the balls to ask for it.

 Agree on the judgement.  However, I was referring to if a tenant ever challenged your deductions by taking you to small claims which is very very rare

Just document and throw into the file.  Keep in mind that in Texas, the 30 day clock to account for their deposit only begins when they surrender possession AND provide a forwarding address