Security Deposit Disposition

[Michael King]

Go easy on me please; I'm here to be a better landlord, and guidance is requested.

I inspected this 4 plex around November and finally closed about 3 weeks ago. One of the inherited tenants has moved out end of lease. 2 items that I feel he needs to pay for out of his deposit. 

1. The prior owner had paid to rehab the bathtub with some glossy white epoxy or similar. During the inspection it looked good. Upon move out, the tenant used the bath tub as a holding tank for his mop water, and whatever chemical he's used, he's managed to lift up a ton of the finish and it now needs to be completely re finished. PO told him not to use abrasive cleaners on the tub. Cost of refinish is $400. I feel as though he should be held liable for at least half of that, is that reasonable?

2. During the prepurchase inspection I noticed the battery low message on the thermostat. Apparently the batteries have stopped working and the tenant has removed them...lo and behold there is a ton of corrosion on the battery terminals and the Tstat is probably useless. Would you charge him for a new thermostat, and if so, what would you charge? Or would you just charge for new batteries?

This is my first move out inspection and I want to tread carefully, and guidance is always well received by me!

Thanks BP!

Mike

[Mike McCarthy]

@Michael King I would charge for repairing the tub. Note that those epoxy finishes don’t work great... but it sounds like significant damage, so yeah.

I wouldn’t charge for the tstat. I don’t really know what the tenant could have done differently. Maybe better batteries, but it’s not negligence. For a $20-30 new thermostat, I’d eat the cost and move on.